Divine Intervention
by Aura
Summary: After Kagome is stranded in her time, she learns she is a magus and becomes involved in the grail war without realizing what she's doing. She comes to learn more about herself but not without endangering her life in the process, will the war be worth it when she already knows that a wish on the grail comes with a price just as the Jewel would have? Rating may rise in future.
1. Chapter 1

**OOC Comments:** This is a crossover between Inuyasha and the various Fate franchises (Naruverse). They do not belong to me. All rights to perspective owners. Some dates in Inuyasha are assumed to have occurred a bit earlier to better compliment the Fate series and other dates are simply presumed since I couldn't find references. There will be a chance of a rating raise to Mature depending on later content but for now will be Teen to start.

 **Story:** **_Divine Intervention_**

 **Chapter One:** **_Once Upon A Dream_**

 ** _"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream. I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam, and I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem…"_**

 ** _-Once Upon A Dream,_** **Lyrics Walt Disney Music Company**

 ** _Kagome Higurashi – The Fifth Holy Grail War – September 1_** ** _st_** ** _Early Morning_**

The sheer brilliance was overpowering…

The radiant glamour infused at the core of a heroic spirit, a magnetic grandeur that made gentle of the world's grievances, that inspired awesome recognition of the godlike creature that stood before me. I didn't need a name to know there was something celestial before me…

The glimmering champion embodied the dignity one would expect from a hero of ages but there was something deeper; an innate unarguable majesty that captured my breath and held hostage my resolve. My mouth hung speechless at the gravity of this summoning…my knees threatened to give way, to offer genuflection to the glorious creature that had appeared.

"Spirit…"

The word came out more as a prayer, reverent disbelief infused my tone. I recognized I was gaping foolishly but I couldn't bring my mouth to close. I could still feel the moisture on my face from my tears but the water had stopped flowing. I realized after a blink that my perspective had changed, that I was looking up at this creature - my legs had given out.

"You show the proper respect though you lack grace, I can't expect much from a mongrel." His deep voice held an indisputable tone of command and yet there was an edge of displeasure that raised quiet alarms. At first, I couldn't answer, my mouth fluttering like some marionette being pulled by a mute ventriloquist. How had I stumbled into this mess?

 ** _August 31stm, Afternoon –_**

"Well, I think you should go out with Hojo again." Eri commented. She was trying to helpful. Her, Ayumi, and Yuka always meant well but I shook my head at them all the same. We'd met for lunch despite going to different colleges now we stayed in touch by going out on the occasions I was able to travel home. I said my goodbyes, insisting I had to head out on the bullet train back to Fuyuki City before it got too late. I slipped onto my ride ignoring Eri's whispered encouragement. I had to get back to my apartment and finish a few chores before class on Monday. Sure I had Sunday as well but after travelling all day I needed to still get some things done. I'd already said my goodbyes to my family that morning.

I sighed as I thought about their encouragement. Date Hojo again? No, I couldn't mislead him in that way, though he still never kept a girlfriend long last I'd heard. My friends never fully understood why I'd rejected him after my 'bad boy' Inuyasha had failed to work out. Not that I could tell them the truth exactly, it was better they thought me heartbroken over some lost lover than know what I'd done through most of middle school chasing after the Jewel of Four Souls. As it was, we had less and less to talk about when we did meet, we were all drifting apart and I ached all the more for the old days, for my friends beyond a portal that was closed to me.

My family would sometimes talk to me about it, but even they had lost much of their interest with their lives taken by modern needs and their own interests. I sighed and looked out at the scenery breezing by outside the train. The reason for my visit hadn't been a good one, grandfather had been sick for a while so we all knew it was coming but it still hurt to lose him. He'd probably been the most willing to listen to me talk about my adventures until his mind started to go and he couldn't remember me or any of us. I'd been home for the funeral but now I was back off to college.

Flying across the landscape toward more loneliness…

I paused one of the workers passing through with a cart to purchase a can of iced coffee and a sandwich. Mother reminded me often to eat and keep up my strength. If it were up to her my recovery would have come through gaining seventy pounds. Still, there was nothing she or her food could do to help my ailment. So, I ate and rode alone, it was better she didn't know I hadn't really made new friends. I had assured her otherwise, but only because I didn't want her to worry about me.

The trip passed in solumn quiet until I got to my stop and then jumped several other trains and busses to get to my small apartment. It was a tiny home I rented, but it may as well have been an apartment considering it was much smaller than the house I grew up in. It served my purpose though, and had everything I needed to get by. I was walking up to the door when I realized several boxes had been left outside with a note stuck to them.

"Ms. Higurashi,

These are for you, left by your father and grandfather."

It wasn't signed and I considered the half dozen boxes curiously before digging out my keys and propping the door open to carry them inside. I didn't really have a lot of space but I was curious. Grandfather had arranged for me to get something of father's after his death? It was the only logical explanation. I opened them after getting them inside and turning on the air conditioner. It was pricy but this area of Japan at the start of September was much too hot and humid to just open windows.

Books. There were lots of books inside. I frowned a little as I looked at them. They were full of strange symbols and descriptions. "Magus, Mana Circuits, Mages, Grail…what is all this?"

I realized one of the first books I picked out had an inscription on the inside.

"Kagome. I'm sorry I didn't tell you more about this when I was alive."

They were from grandfather…

"I didn't want to burden you with more than you already had. Still, I think you have a right to know. Your mother never knew, bless her, she was just a human. You though, you are a Magus Kagome, it's where your priestess abilities come from, it's why you could be born as a reincarnation. You are descended from divine blood of gods. Your father talks more about it in his journals, which are in these boxes. I wish I could have explained more but the power wasn't active in me, just as it isn't in Sota, only occasionally does it present itself in the family line. I hope this helps you find what you want, I know you were never happy here at home, in this time. -Grandpa"

I read the note several times. Was he serious? I was some sort of wizard then? What was a Magus? Were they like priestesses? Could they heal and create divine arrows like I could? I was descended from a god? I dug through the boxes to find the journal Grandpa talked about, any chores I needed to finish forgotten in face of this new and unexpected revelation. He thought something in here could take me back to the Feudal Era?

 ** _September 1_** ** _st_** ** _Early Morning –_**

"I…I am Kagome." I managed to finally speak the words shakily. "Kagome Higurashi."

"Timid, for one that would call me." He remarked, it wasn't a question. He was staring down at me just as I continued to watch him unable to fully believe this was real. Those crimson depths seemed to smother my will, to impose on my spirit the need to listen to this ageless ruler.

I'd managed to call forth a creature of another world, another time, to aid me…and yet I was lost in the intensity of energy I could see within him. The jewel of four souls seemed a trifle next to this blinding potency…

He moved closer, stepping past the circle I'd instinctively skittered back from when the spell started to work. I hadn't meant for it too, not really. It just was a circle in a book, a girl playing around with a dream that she knew wasn't real. He stepped past the edge without a moment of pause and somehow that movement, that small gesture of ignoring a boundary that I'd subconsciously built as a wall set my heart racing. Was stuff not bound by the circle? Wasn't that the point in a bunch of shows?

My eyes widened and a slow smirk crossed his lips before he leaned down where I still knelt. The armor around him vanished, curling into shimmering dust to be replaced with a simpler black and white jacket, shirt, and pants. If it wasn't for those otherworldly eyes, for the force I could see within him…he could have been just some pretty face on the street.

"You are an inexperienced magus." He again was stating a fact, not asking me to comply. He was close enough to my face now that I could very clearly make out his, the lines of his cheeks and nose, the clean curve of his eyebrows. I didn't know what to say to him. What did one say when they summoned such a creature?

 _So, hey, so wanna go find a grail?_ I doubted that would go over well. I had not thought this through, I barely knew what it meant when I was looking through father's journal…only that having a grail meant a wish. I'd thought I could recreate that sort of a circle, I didn't think anything would actually show up. In his book these sorts of wars were heavily controlled…they were rare. It shouldn't have worked…

"What did you use for a catalyst?" He asked, glancing behind himself at the circle, where steam still rose from the power of the spell.

"A catalyst?" I echoed stupidly, holding my hand where it still burned from the magic. I had barely discovered this part of myself, it hadn't been a full day since I found father's journal. I knew that the winner got a wish…and that different participants summoned Spiritual Servants to fight each other but little else. I just wanted to return to the feudal era and got nostalgic so I drew some lines in chalk in the back lot. Yet, in my notably brief understanding this wasn't what I expected. The journal had described me, the summoner, as the Master. Yet, as I watched the fate I'd created I knew I was far from that, I felt it unwise to even imply that I could be over this creature.

"Yes, you have to have some connection to the spirit to call it to you." He replied, frowning at me, as though having to explain this was troublesome. "What did you use? Did you get ahold of that snake skin again?"

"I…I didn't use anything." I stammered, trying to calm myself. I was supposed to be the one in charge here, and while I felt this had swiftly spiraled beyond that possibility I had to try and salvage what I could. "I just…followed the ritual the way it read in the book."

"Where is this book?" He sounded skeptical, his question only after he'd let out a bark of laughter at my comment. "I look forward to the expression on Kotomine's face…"

 _Who was Kotomine? Another Magus like me?_

I nodded toward my father's journal on the back yard table and was glad his attention wasn't on me for the moment. I could retake my feet without him watching, even if I still felt shaky and leaned on a nearby wall. Was my exhaustion expending too much power to summon him or just the oppressive nature of his presence? I expected a combination of both.

"Hmm, so someone in your family was capable of using magic…humans, always delving into things they can't understand." He stated, the way he uttered 'humans' was as though he distasted even letting the syllables roll from his tongue. "Then, I wonder, in what way are we tied little mongrel?"

 _Mongrel?_

"I uh…I don't know." I said, frowning at myself for having not thought that playing with magic might be a bad idea. I had some creature and I didn't even know who he was, or what I was really doing…

"Um, what's your name?" I tried.

"You do seem vaguely familiar…" He remarked, his fingers touching my chin, turning my face back and forth so he could inspect it. I swallowed at the contact and could feel myself getting warm. Was he always so direct? "…I can appreciate your quiet, though your ignorance is less forgivable I'll allow it this time. You fail to recognize the King of Heroes: Gilgamesh."

"Gilgamesh…" I repeated quietly, still bashful at his close inspection. The name rattled around in my mind, Mesopotamian and Babylonian myths? I didn't remember much about it, it'd been a while since I'd taken my mythology class in high school and that area hadn't been a focus in the first place.

"You called me but have no real idea about the grail war, do you?" It still felt like a hypothetical question with the confidence about his tone but I nodded all the same. "You would have me teach you after interrupting my plans?"

"I uh…I'm sorry…" I frowned at the pretentious tone of voice, but I suppose just calling him here could have been rude. I wasn't usually this reserved but shock had set in. I'd gone so long without my companions in the feudal era and the well that I'd started to wonder if it was all a dream. I'd only recently dipped my toe into the supernatural world again…yet now I'd been pushed in over my head and I was certain if I couldn't tread carefully I would drown.

"I do enjoy a humble woman…" He remarked, though he hadn't stopped intently watching me. Which was adding to my bashfulness, I knew my cheeks were burning. No man had been so close to me since Inuyasha, if anyone else would have tried I likely would have slapped them but I had a survival instinct that kept me from acting on that urge. "…you thus far lack the vulgar behavior of so many of your kind so I'll generously fill in blanks. What do you already know?"

 _Gee, thanks?_

"Um, that there's a war between spirits and that the winner gets a wish on the holy grail?" I summarized what I'd read. "I really didn't mean to disturb you…I just…thought I'd try it…I didn't think it would work to be honest."

I intended to be strong-willed, to show some sense of pride but my voice broke as I thought about the feudal era, about how much safer I'd feel if I had Inuyasha here with me as I spoke with this man that wasn't a man. His intense pride reminded me of Sesshomaru…albeit there was something more sinister here, an observation that had me on my best behavior since he seemed to like me while I demurred to his ego…

"What is it you desire?" He asked, though his tone was mild curiosity. He'd finally released my face to look around the shrine where I'd called him. I could tell he was far from impressed with our humble home and the small lands my family safeguarded.

"I…want to go back." I started, hesitating a moment before launching into the explanation. After all, if anyone was going to believe me it would be a spirit summoned across time and space with magic. "I used to travel to the Feudal Era. There's a portal on my family's shrine that goes to the past. It closed a few years ago and I want to open it again."

"Oh?" He perked a brow at my unexpected explanation, apparently my history could surprise even spirits. "This seems an unlikely place for such a portal."

"It's not here, it's at my family's shrine, in Tokyo…" I answered nervously, swallowing at the dissatisfaction on his face as he looked around my small yard and at my home. "Sorry if it's a little ramshackle but it's mine…would you uh, like to come in? Can I get you a drink? Coffee, tea, uh water?"

He followed me into my home, not speaking on my offer of something to drink, instead setting down my father's journal next to the other boxes before drawing out another of the volumes to open. "You only learned to do magic and you summoned me? You seem a bit too virtuous for a grail war mongrel."

"Kagome…" I hadn't meant to correct him, but I'd always had a problem with people not calling me by name. I pressed on. "What do you mean?"

The sideways glance he sent me from his looking over the books grandpa had sent told me he had noticed my momentary show of temper. He looked amused, as though my commenting on my name was cute. The way someone might smirk at a puppy that pulled at their pant leg…

"The grail war is not what the mages advertise, though these journals are fairly old concepts." Gilgamesh commented, setting down the book he'd been browsing to pick up another. "The grail is not the rumored treasure of your single fictitious god. It is something crafted by mages and as imperfect and selfish as most mongrel attempts to reach the divine. Anything granted by the grail will be corrupted just as the magic that crafted it."

I should have thought of that. How long did I chase the Jewel with my friends and see what people wanting to make wishes did? How it had also been corrupted? Why should I think that a similar item in another religion would be any different?

"The war requires the sacrifice of the mana created by seven of the servant's summoned to make a wish." Gilgamesh continued, still browsing the book he'd picked up. "Traditionally it is not explained to servant's that they are to be one of the pieces sacrificed, they are lead to believe they also get a wish when they complete the task."

"That's horrible…" I muttered, frowning at what he was describing. I didn't know much but it didn't sound very nice. "That's not what I wanted to do."

"If I expected so, you wouldn't be breathing." He remarked calmly on my death, switching back from the books to my father's journal. "Hmm, you failed to mention this…you're of divine blood?"

"Uh, that's what I'm told." I had only learned it myself so I hadn't really thought about it. "I didn't really know until recently."

"You have holy blood…the resemblance is feint but it's there. Why you are familiar…why you could summon me." His tone altered, the ironic amusement had drained of even sarcastic warmth and his hands were crushing the sides of the page he had ahold of. He turned toward me as shimmering pools of light rippled into existence around him, the points of blades coming forward through the mystical gates. There had to be a dozen or more, floating midair here and there but all were pointed at me! What was he doing!?

 **End Chapter**

Angry Gil is angry! Poor Kagome. Always getting herself into things she shouldn't. I should probably stop passing her around to all my fandoms one of these days…

 _-Aura_

I'll remark to any specific reviews here in future chapters if I feel it needed. Otherwise thanks for reading and hope you enjoy!

P.S. The quote is relevant but not until a bit later in the plot sadly. It does give a hint as to what Gilgamesh is pissed about : ) (albeit ironically)


	2. October and April

End of Chapter One:

 _"You have holy blood…the resemblance is feint but it's there. Why you are familiar…why you could summon me." His tone altered, the ironic amusement had drained of even sarcastic warmth and his hands were crushing the sides of the page he had ahold of. He turned toward me as shimmering pools of light rippled into existence around him, the points of blades coming forward through the mystical gates. There had to be a dozen or more, floating midair here and there but all were pointed at me! What was he doing!?_

 **Chapter Two:** **_October and April_**

 _"She was like April skies, sunrise in her eyes. Child of light, shining star. Fire in her heart. Brightest day Melting snow, breaking through the chill. October and April. He was like frozen sky, in October night, darkest cloud, endless storm. Raining from his heart. Coldest moon, deepest blue. Tearing down the spring…"_

 **-The Rasmus,** **_October and April Lyrics_**

 ** _September 1_** ** _st_** ** _Early Morning –_**

"What are you doing?!" I could tell my tone was higher than it should have been. I was terrified of this man, my momentary idolatry transforming to terror with his aggression. "Stop it! Don't attack me!"

As I cried out a pulse of translucent energy curled outward from me like a burst of heat warbling the air. I'd shouted the words as a matter of self-preservation but it seemed to take root in the man that was ready to attack me. Weapons that had shot out toward me from the glimmering circles in the air faded even as the portals did. The air of my small home as empty as it had been before he turned on me in the first place. My skin burned…

The back of my hand ached, and I noticed for the first time there were marks there, a series of pointed dark red angles set up to look like a starburst. There had been eight points…but one seemed to have been rubbed away slightly. I didn't have time to think about that now though, glancing back to where the man had stalked up to me. He raised his hands as though he wished to wrap them around my neck, pausing just short while his eyes were venomous enough to make clear his intentions if he wasn't somehow held by my unexpected mystical prohibition…

"Why do you want to attack me?" I asked, hoping to salvage something here, like my life. "If you don't like me you can just leave…I didn't mean to call you. I'd rather not die…"

My words seemed to breach the unexpected vengeful haze that had taken him and he lowered one of his hands, the other pausing on his forehead a moment. I wasn't going to interrupt his quiet, that was better than him trying to kill me, but I was still staring in shock at the way my ritual had turned out.

"You don't know. I shouldn't be surprised; modern humans are horrible about tracking their lineages." He let out a single scoffing laugh and looked back at me, scanning my face carefully again. He took my chin in his hand, grinning when I tensed at his touch and looking carefully over my face. "You aren't an exact copy, which is why I didn't recognize it sooner. The eyes are different, enough mongrel blood to have made them lose any sign of divinity. The hair is shorter and styled differently but still, you must belong to one of her bloodlines."

"Divinity? Whose bloodlines?" I frowned at the idea. I'd heard it before of course, priestess' like myself with abilities were supposed to have gotten the power from somewhere. Was I descended from a god like he was saying?

"Who? Kotomine?" I was guessing randomly, just trying to put names together. To make any sense of out what was happening here.

"Kotomine isn't a god, just another mongrel with unique hobbies." He answered, shaking his head at me. "As you are ignorant of your filthy blood I'll let your insult of commanding me slide. It is only natural for dogs to bark when threatened. However, you'll release your seals to Kotomine and be on your way. I have no patience for such a master, my plans can go on uninterrupted if you are serious about wanting to live."

I frowned.

Sure, I had offered to let him go and all when he was going to kill me, but that was before I knew I could order him around. That's what the marks on my hand were for? I'd have to be careful but I'd already told him not to attack me so that was probably a good one.

"No." I said directly, shaking my head at him.

His brow rose in displeasure and he leaned closer, his taller body seeming to dwarf mine though part of that was probably my own nervousness. He paused inches from my face, his eyes narrowing again, one of his portals opened over his shoulder, a long-curved blade lazily floating out of it. The dangerous object totally unaware of its status of 'ready to skewer Kagome'.

"You, you can't attack me. I told you." I stammered, with a quickly dwindling confidence.

"Commands aren't lasting things; do you think I'll allow a clueless mutt to insult me in this way? Your ignorance I was magnanimous enough to forgive, your audacity I cannot." He remarked, and I didn't have time to give another command before the weapon shot at me. I closed my eyes, expecting the pain or at least nothingness to come, cursing myself quietly for digging into father's books and carelessly summoning this thing into the world. Gold wasn't a color I would associate with gods in the future…this man certainly was more devil than angel.

"What did she do…" His frustrated voice made me realize that in my frantic thoughts I hadn't died yet. There was a long spear with its point uncomfortably close to my chest but it stayed suspended in mid-air, not moving closer but not vanishing either. He wasn't looking at me, he was looking at the spear that had stopped short of making me into a shish-ka-gome. "Ishtar, you witch…is this one of your punishments?"

"Ishtar...who the hell was Ishtar? Was that the god he said I was descended from?" I was a bit too nervous to ask given he seemed as though he wanted to kill me and he just couldn't.

"Look uh…I'm not Ishtar…I'm Kagome. I um…I just want to figure all this out. I know you aren't very happy with me but I think we could get along." I tried, trailing off at the deadpan expression he gave me at my words. He wasn't speaking so I wanted to fill the space…I kept talking. "I want to see if I can help. You said it's corrupted…this grail…I've cleansed corrupted wish items before...I did with the Jewel of Four Souls."

 _Well…mostly…I fixed the problem anyway…_

He laughed at me. "Mongrel, you already stated you have something you want. You must consider yourself in the greatest regard if you think you'd resist that mindless draw of desire and be able to pass up the temptation of the grail."

"I've done it before." I answered hotly, angry at his implication that I would choose myself over others. I hadn't last time, I let the past go…if I could help save the world again by doing the same then of course I would. He just told me that any wishes are corrupted…if someone else got it…someone like Naraku… "Don't you think that I wouldn't give up everything to help the people around me."

"Oh?" He smirked darkly, as if my protest had broken into his irritation and amused him. "I see you don't completely lack fire, spurred on no doubt by the gift Ishtar gave you. Command Seals don't usually last for extended periods and yet yours keeps you alive. I wonder if you'd still stare with such contempt if you lacked that shield to hide behind. You grow tedious…"

He started to vanish and I blinked at the gold dust he was leaving in the air as he disappeared…no, wait, I was supposed to be the one in charge here. "Stop! You may not leave without my permission! You have to talk to me!"

My hand burned again with the words, and another glance told me I'd lost two more of the points of the strange mystical star on my hand. I only had five remaining, I needed to be more careful with them, how was it Magus' managed this when the spirits they summoned were so argumentative? The commands didn't even last? I wasn't totally sure of his reasoning behind why mine seemed to but I figured I needed the help.

"Do you think you'll get away with this mongrel? With ordering the King of Heroes to report in and bow to your will like a mere child?" He hissed at me, his form returning from the same dust it had started to fade into. His hands were near my shoulders again and it was clear he wasn't too happy with my actions but I felt a little emboldened that he didn't seem to be able to touch me if he meant to attack me. I resisted the urge to shrug at his angry behavior, if he didn't act like a child I wouldn't need to treat him like one.

"I am not trying to be disrespectful." I learned in my part time retail job people sometimes weren't as rude to you if you opened with that line. "I am trying to learn more about what is happening here? Why wouldn't you want the grail to be cleansed if it's possible? Who are you? I don't know more than your name, I can't really treat you properly if you don't explain how that's done. Who is Ishtar? Why does it bother you that I look like her?"

I glanced away only at the last question. Was my whole life going to be people judging me because I looked like others? Why did this keep happening to me? Had Kikyo also faced these sorts of difficulties? Had she looked like the god we were both descended from?

"It bothers you, that I say you look like someone else." He remarked in his usual matter of fact way. He was observant, I had to give him that. "Fitting in this case. Ishtar is a worthless harlot, but the marks on your hand, the altered seals. It's clear she is where your bloodline begot its power. Not overly shocking considering she'd mate with most things capable of breath and some without."

 _So, I'm descended from a goddess slut? What was she then? Babylonian Aphrodite?_

"Uh, why do you hate her?" I asked, I was so used to people mistaking me for others that it didn't faze me as much as it might anyone else to be told I looked a little like a god.

"Ishtar is a covetous wench, when there are things she cannot steal or beguile she does her best to destroy them." He answered me harshly, though he'd at least dropped his hands from where he seemed ready to strangle me, that was some small progress, right?

"Look ah, I don't want to anger you…more than I already have." I added the last part when he frowned a bit more. "I honestly don't. I don't understand what's happening fully, but it sounds like something I shouldn't just let fall into other hands."

"No, but Kotomine had things under control." He answered. "He was working with me before you broke the common rules and summoned me here. This war already had seven servants."

"Father's journal said there were only seven." I furrowed my brow, this was getting even more confusing. "You mean you were one of the seven."

"No, I won the last war mongrel. I have as real a body as you now." Gilgamesh stroked my cheek with the back of his hand, which made me flinch even though I hoped the spell was controlling him. It seemed he was only limited in touching me if his intent was to be harmful. Not that this made me feel any better since he always perked more of a smile when I pulled away. "Such mistrust."

"Well you did just try to kill me a few times." I pointed out incredulously at his innocent tone and creepy behavior.

"The right of a commander." He answered, shrugging at me before throwing himself on my couch and picking up a glass of wine from a spot of light. He was taking this with a sudden stride that I was skeptical of. He had to be up to something. "As you've stolen that privilege temporarily, I have little reason to rail or rage needlessly. I'm certain it would only give the witch more joy. I'll play along with this pointless little game of hers, for now."

"Um…right. There's not a conspiracy here." I commented, finding his strange behavior hard to keep up with. This was like dealing with Sesshomaru if he also had bi-polar and anger management issues.

"You are incorrect, just because you are one of her witless tools doesn't mean there is nothing further happening. I wonder how long she waited for just this opportunity." He answered me with his accustomed disrespect. I frowned at his attitude, but I didn't really want to waste one of my magic command tattoos on telling him to be polite. "If you are one of her ilk, you'll certainly not fix the grail but I have no complaint if you tarnish it further."

"What? Why?" I ignored the insult, I expected he would keep doing that. I was focused more on his lack of concern. "I thought that the people we summoned were supposed to be heroes. Why wouldn't you want the grail to be fixed? You said you were a part of the grail war before and won…is that why you are so screwed up?"

"Setting aside your deplorable behavior…"

 _Mirror buddy, look in a mirror._

"…I never claimed to be a hero. I was one without a doubt in the eyes of my people, my lands prospered greatly under my rule. They will someday again, but this world has nothing worth saving." He answered, one arm over the back of the couch, the other holding the wine near his face for the occasional sip. "There are some enjoyable aspects to this world but it needs to be remade."

 _Great. I summoned a psychopath…_

"Don't be surprised, the seals may save you now but you haven't a hope of surviving the war with the sad expressions you keep offering. Mages are born through will, not empathy." He remarked. "I need only wait and you'll fall."

"You don't know me." I challenged, getting frustrated. "I was apparently strong enough to summon you, wasn't I? Unless you are much less strong than you say and this is all bluster."

His gaze narrowed again, the iris thinning so more of the red could be seen in his eyes. "You live on borrowed time mongrel, eventually it'll run out. My mercy is running thin however, the quick death I had planned for this trespass has faded. I have many better places for you in my palaces, where you can pay me back time and again for these insults."

"Threatening me doesn't help you." I pointed out, partly because I didn't like the idea that he might be right. What was I going to do when this magical protection went away?

"Just as backpedaling won't aid you when this is over." He remarked. "Yet here we are, what would you command of the King of Heroes?"

"I don't want to command you to do anything. I'm trying to talk to you and learn what the hell is happening." I heard my voice going up but this was tiresome. "Who is Kotomine? Had he summoned you before? Tell me the truth."

"Is that a command?" He remarked, a smirk coming to his face. He wanted me to use the seals as swiftly as possible. I hadn't felt the same burn as before, and a glance at my limb told me that the five remained intact. Did I need to command him to be truthful? How long would they last, these commands? Longer than usual according to him. So, what could I even tell him to do? I didn't really want to have to do that.

"I don't want to have to tell you to do anything." I stated as diplomatically as I could.

"At least you aren't as dense as first appearances would imply." He remarked at my hesitation to order him about. "It would be regrettable after the time invested but if your little portal does return to the past then I am curious, would you take me with you after this is all done?"

Take him to the feudal era? That seemed dangerous…

"Uh, maybe? I don't really know you that well right now." I answered. "I don't really want to make promises until we talk more. You could explain more of how the grail war works, or what plans you had before I summoned you maybe? Or you know, who Kotomine is like I already asked."

He leaned forward to perch his head on one of his hands while on the couch. The way he lounged carelessly I'd certainly wouldn't take him as someone displeased with what had just happened. I knew otherwise but that just made me more nervous, was there anything he would say that I could trust without using one of these precious tattoos?

"Kotomine is a priest." He answered after watching me for a while. "A previous connection to the world. Though I admit, he has grown a bit tedious in the time we've been together."

"So, he means well, with his wish." I asked dubiously. A priest and this guy? That didn't really add up when I considered it. "I don't picture you being a regular at confession."

"I'm not." He laughed at my remark. "A King need answer to no one, least of all false gods."

"Okay…well, why be hanging out with a priest then?" I sighed and rubbed my face, walking over to the small kitchenette to dig out a pot to fill with water. "You want some ramen?"

"It will suffice." He answered, watching me as I moved. It was odd. I felt like it was Buyo following me around the room with cat eyes. Creepy crimson cat eyes owned by a deranged person…but still he had a predatory aspect. "And we share a similar view of what needs to happen to the world. He'll be quite displeased that I've been taken away from him."

I lit the fire and set the pot down so the water could start to boil. Moving to sit on the couch, albeit it the opposite end from where Gilgamesh was. I sighed at his description. A priest that wanted to see a bunch of people die? Well, I'd seen a lot so I wasn't that surprised, just a bit disappointed. "Well, I can't let him do that."

"No? Yet, you believe your wish would help everyone?" Gilgamesh asked curiously. "I wonder. The road to hell is paved with good intentions of course. There was a man like you in the last grail war, another foolish idealist."

"Being an idealist isn't foolish." I answered. I was quietly lamenting not having some enchanted beads…maybe I could figure out how Kaede had made them…making this man sit sounded like a good stress reliever…

"Depends on the ideal." He dropped his glass and I dove across the couch for it, not realizing it would disappear before spilling on my furniture. He grinned at my laying across the couch in a silly attempt to ward off the stain I probably couldn't have stopped. "If it's something you can accomplish or not."

"Ha ha, you're very funny." I muttered, pushing myself back up. "I get your point but what happened? Did you kill this man?"

"No, he didn't die during the war. He ordered another of the servants to destroy the grail. That's how we discovered the darkness within it. Curses and all the horrible dreams of mankind came pouring out burning through whatever they touched." He answered, nodding as my eyes widened. I remembered seeing the terrible fire here years ago on the news, and he was confirming that was the cause. Hundreds of people had died… "That was a minor incident compared to what the grail could do."

"Why would you want to repeat that? It's so…senseless…"

"As I already said, humans have grown lazy, worthless…I need not repeat myself." He shrugged at me. "As for the priest, he is a prime example of the corruption in humanity. I expect he'll enjoy killing you. He takes a delight in others pain I've rarely seen, impressive given my centuries. Then again, if you are serious about this grail war and being a participant that doesn't need to happen. You could win all of it, with me as your Servant it would be easy. Step one, just order me to kill Kotomine now and the war after that is easily yours for the taking."

 **End Chapter**

Gil is such a switch hitter. He so ebil right now…whew. X.X. It's hard to write for him like this. Hope I'm keeping him ic for the period of the games/shows he's in atm. Also, in case it was unclear in some way. Kagome has more seals than usual (8 instead of 3). An 8 pointed star was a common symbol for Ishtar (usually with a moon next to it) which is why I picked it – the more you know.

 _-Aura_

To my reviewers:

Many congrats to the people that realized Kagome was a descendant of Ishtar in this fic. Good job. I also figured it would be the only thing to make Gilgamesh pissed enough to attack her given what a B Ishtar is. As for Chai's question, Kagome likely will still be using her arrows eventually.


	3. Epicentre

End of Last Chapter:

 _"As I already said, humans have grown lazy, worthless…I need not repeat myself." He shrugged at me. "As for the priest, he is a prime example of the corruption in humanity. I expect he'll enjoy killing you. He takes a delight in others pain I've rarely seen, impressive given my centuries. Then again, if you are serious about this grail war and being a participant that doesn't need to happen. You could win all of it, with me as your Servant it would be easy. Step one, just order me to kill Kotomine now and the war after that is easily yours for the taking."_

 **Chapter Title:** **_Epicentre_**

"I asked myself, was I content? With the world that I once cherished? Did it bring me to this darkened place, to contemplate, my perfect future? I will not stand nor utter words against this tide of hate. Losing sight of what and who I was again…"

 **-VNV Nation Lyrics,** **_Epicentre_**

 ** _Kagome - September 1_** ** _st_** ** _Early Morning –_**

"No. I'm not just gonna start ordering you around, particularly to kill people I don't know." I replied, going off his word alone seemed unwise. I got the feeling he was leaving things out from time to time. Not that he was lying directly per say, just by omission…or it was simply the baleful energy that seemed to ebb and flow around him. There was a disquiet to his manners that didn't match up somehow. Gold whose shimmer was lost in a tarnish it shouldn't possess…

"You'll need to eventually kill someone else if you are serious about winning this war, others will not hesitate to do the same to you." He remarked, and I glanced away from his intense stare. Glad when I realized the water was boiling.

"I'll do what I must but I'm not going off your word alone, your moral compass doesn't really point north." I remarked as I headed away from the couch. I'd heard the water boiling on the stove and it was a good excuse to get away from him.

This was confusing, at first glance I'd been certain he was something transcendental…but now I was left with this bizarrely bitter arrogance. I wasn't unaccustomed to occasionally dealing with people suffering from narcissism, Sesshomaru had been a prime example of that and we'd worked together against Naraku. Yet, this wasn't the same as just having an ego…there was a festering enmity that seemed to have rooted into this Gilgamesh's ego. How did a man heralded as a hero end up so malignant? How did someone go from wanting to lead a country to destroying people?

"The grail, you said you saw it pouring out all these malevolent things?" I asked. It was a hunch but now that I'd pointed it out I saw a flicker of shadows around him when he walked toward me. It was short lived but I'd certainly seen it. There was something more clinging to him, a toxin beneath the surface… If he'd been at the center when it happened, it must have corrupted him somehow.

"Yes, I was beneath the grail when it was cut apart. The muck inside washed over me, it's what gave me my physical form here. Any lesser Servant would have been lost to madness, but the polluted desires of mankind are not nearly enough to sully me." He answered, taking a seat at my small table instead of the couch where he could watch me as I stirred in veggies. "The grail corrupts the wishes of those around it, it is imperfect, just as the mages that crafted it. After all, it was only ever a lusterless replica of their ideal. It might have been magnificent once, but like everything humanity touches, they defiled it with their selfishness."

So, what was him, and what was this barely perceivable contamination around him? I knew pointing out that he was wrong about being untouched by this baleful energy wouldn't do me any good. He was already murderous enough and pointing out any flaws he seemed unable to recognize in himself would only spur him to be more vindictive. Though, I couldn't trust him while this poison wrapped itself around him either. Was it some other source within this grail of his? A vindictive presence akin to what was within the jewel?

It wasn't as though I didn't have experience with removing wish-giving artifacts from the world. I knew the best method already, but it was difficult to consider. This had seemed like I'd finally gotten a chance to have my friends back…to have Inuyasha back…and I knew it wasn't a real one. Even if I ignored the plight of others and wished to return to the past it would somehow be corrupted…such selfishness always just set a new cycle of pain into motion. Was this man like Naraku? Just some puppet of a dark device trying to perpetuate its own existence?

I served us each a bowl, glad he had left me to consider quietly what was happening and that we continued to eat in that silence. It wasn't comfortable, at least not for me. I sent him several glances, trying not to stare but at the same time hoping to see something more. I did get a glimpse of the shades again after a few bites, ruining my own appetite. Tendrils of firey shadows wrapped around him, licking at his skin and cheeks. Entering his mouth anytime he went to take a bite of the ramen I'd made, as though he was consuming more of the spiteful energy even now. It was greater than it'd been moments ago, or I just saw more of it…but then it was gone and he was watching me while I watched him.

"A strange expression, the food is bland but not quite so frightening." He remarked and I glanced down. I'd stopped eating when I saw him seeming to chew on the miasma around him and wasn't particularly feeling food at all after that disturbing vision. He obviously needed to be purified but could I really banish something caused by what he described as all the darkness of mankind.

 _No pressure, Kagome._

I didn't have much choice. I had to try. It was a matter of when…he leaned in close often but I'd need to touch him to use my purification abilities. It'd been a while but I hadn't forgotten them. I dutifully chewed my ramen as I wondered just how I should do this. Nothing seemed particularly to be a great idea other than just taking his hands and doing it. Then again, he wasn't human, would it harm him? I didn't really know. It wasn't as though I was that much better at being a priestess than I was at being a magus. The shadowed tendrils moving around him though didn't make me want to wait. I took his bowl and mine to the sink after we finished. Setting them down and sighing.

This was a possibly dangerous choice…but I had to do it. If this grail was as dangerous as he said it needed to be removed from the world as much as the Jewel ever did. I would have to just keep searching for a way back to the past. I jumped when I turned and he was leaning on the counter nearby, watching me.

"You are considering something quite seriously." He noted.

"Yes, I have something I need to do." I picked up his hands, frowning when he perked a brow at me.

"You have a mistaken idea as to what Servant's do." He commented, though he didn't pull himself away. If anything, his assuming I was coming onto him seemed to please him slightly despite his refusal. "I am not interested, besides it is ill fitting for a priestess.."

I stopped him short. I'd closed my eyes to consentrate as I held his hands, gripping them tighter when the light flickered to life around me. His self-assured remarks interrupted by a short intake of breath, and I could feel an uncomfortable warmth radiating from his hands. He was in pain, that much I could tell by whatever strange connection we had, but it was required. The way one needs to cauterize a burn to keep infection out. I had to force away the taint surrounding him.

There was surprise on his face when I opened my eyes, certain I'd banished the last of the curses. I didn't mind seeing him in a rare moment of vulnerability. Where he wasn't utterly in control of himself and the world around him. I offered a tired smile before darkness took me this time, I'd used all my strength to push the shades away, I couldn't even explain before I lost awareness…

 ** _Gilgamesh - September 1_** ** _st_** ** _Early Morning –_**

She'd gone quiet, this unfortunate upstart. My description of having been bathed in the grail's corruption seemed to have stunned her. Given her own ignorance of her involvement her unease was anticipated. She was perhaps not the shrinking butterfly I'd first taken her for but she was still fainthearted. For all her protests, it was clear she didn't want to harm anyone, that all of this news was alarming. While I wasn't pleased with her actions, there was little point railing against her when it wouldn't do me good.

Her playing domestic would have been a fine distraction in other circumstances since I enjoyed her rare demure demeanor in this age. if it wasn't for her shared countenance with Ishtar or the timing she'd picked to stumble blindly onto a battlefield dragging me with her I would have entertained the girl taking my hands when I was standing close to her. I was about to refuse her when I realized she wasn't holding my hands for physical comfort. The girl was burning me…

I wasn't sure how, but it felt like my body was on fire, and it was radiating from her hands. I would have slain her where she stood if it wasn't for the order she'd already given me regarding attacking her. I was about to pull myself away when I realized her spell had stopped my movement. I couldn't even speak to ask her what she thought she was doing. Her body was glowing…there was a power inside of her that was illuminating the room around us and banishing shadows, curling outward from her like a blossoming flower. Each wave of energy brighter than the last…she might as well have forced a torch to my skin, was she trying to reduce me to ash?

That's when I noticed the other lines of twilight, pitch tendrils of twilight that seemed to be clinging to my skin, wrapping tightly around my chest and legs…what was this? Memories flickered through my mind, painful jumbled screams and unfulfilled lamentations that weren't my own trying to dig into my spirit as opposed to be pushed away. The profane image winked out almost as quickly as it came and the burning stopped. There was an ache accompanied by alleviation, as though I'd been washed clean after being doused in garbage…

The mongrel wasn't glowing anymore, she did look tired and her energy had diminished almost to nothing. She offered me the gentle smile before falling. I caught her before she hit the ground, staring at her unconscious face in surprise. This mortal had just released me from an ailment I didn't know I possessed, a set of curses and malevolent energy great enough that it had smothered even my incredible will...

"How magnanimous of the great Gilgamesh to catch a mere mortal…" The voice wasn't the same, though it was certainly coming from the girl. There was an augmentation that made my skin crawl, and certainly I felt even more damned when golden eyes opened to look at me. I dropped her, amused at the shock on her face as she hit the ground. The only fitting place for her. She offered a slight pout, and shook out her hair without getting up. "Still bitter after so long. Just as unfit as ever, why father thought a mutt like you could help is beyond me. You should be thanking me Gilly, my descendant just saved you from yourself."

"Ishtar." I stated, coldly looking down on the goddess. I knew her presence anywhere, like a sick disease heavy in the air. It didn't matter what skin she wore, I'd never mistake the witch for someone else. "To what do I owe the extreme displeasure?"

 **End Chapter**

This took forever and I had to write it out twice because I somehow saved over the file the first time like a retard and had to completely redo it. Irritated Aura is irritated. In other news, my new goal is to try and post a chapter whenever we're stuck with maintenance on FGO. Can't say I'll always manage it (particularly once school starts back up again) but I'm gonna try at least until then.

 _-Aura_

To my reviewers:

 _The Rupture_ – Even lacking much magus wise, she does understand several of her priestess abilities and she was damn good with that bow by the end of the Inuyasha series XD. I also must admit that Gilgamesh may have been considering just augmenting the world to his whim back in the feudal era XD As for being a descendant of Ishtar…she lived thousands and thousands of years ago…blood could have been mixed into Kagome's line literally ages before Japan was even settled by people. It's nice when you have such an old mythology to work with. ; )

 _Keep the Faith_ – I believe he does sit and have ramen during Carnival Phantasm…

 _Sillvog_ – It will be…slow and difficult but I don't think impossible. I think I managed it all right with a OC, Kagome is turning out to be much trickier so far but I'll get there!


	4. True Love

End of Last Chapter: 

_"Ishtar." I stated, coldly looking down on the goddess. I knew her presence anywhere, like a sick disease heavy in the air. It didn't matter what skin she wore, I'd never mistake the witch for someone else. "To what do I owe the extreme displeasure?"_

 **Chapter Four:** **_True Love_**

 _"In walks the villain of this tale, the door closing silent behind you. I smile and offer you something to drink in a hope that taste will remind you: that poison goes better with grenadine, that deceit's always lovely with lime. That bitterness can be so sweet when it's served in the right place and at the right time."_

 **-Thoushaltnot Lyrics,** **_True Love_**

 ** _Gilgamesh - September 1_** ** _st_** ** _Early Morning –_**

"No need to be so cross…" She purred, utterly unlike the personality of the body she'd chosen to overtake, leaning back on her elbows and remaining where she had fallen. "You are so angry for someone I just saved."

"You didn't do anything, your descendant did." I remarked, rubbing my hands on my jacket as if to wipe off the grime of having touched her. "I expect you would have been content if she hadn't helped."

"We couldn't have you going about destroying the world, could we?" Ishtar clicked her tongue at me and I bristled slightly at her disrespect, narrowing my eyes. "How wonderful that it was one of mine that came to save you from yourself. Poetic some would say…"

"Obviously there is something else you desire you dysfunctional derelict, out with it." I returned, unable to keep the revulsion from my features. If it wasn't for the body she'd picked I'd have enjoyed strangling her with Endiku while talking about her poetics.

"Tsk, tsk." She clucked her tongue, probably not aware how I planned to rip it out if she ever stood in front of me without possession of this mortal. She pushed herself up to her feet. "Years as the human's lackey has dulled your charm and wits. It is a wonder I ever offered myself to you."

A hand reached up to stroke my cheek but I caught her wrist before her fingers could make contact, resisting the urge to break it. I only continued to stare at her, knowing sooner or later she would grow bored of this little interlude.

"Yes, yes. Business before pleasure, men are quite horrible at mixing the two." She lamented.

"Wise words for someone not skilled in either." I smirked at the angry expression she gave me.

"You never did know when to be quiet. I'm only here as a messenger, you are to help the girl with this quest. Get the grail and let her have it." She explained finally the reason for her presence. "Humans lack the ability to control it properly, at least most of them. She can resolve the issue. Though if you can't behave yourself I can always use these seals on her hand as easily as she."

"Even assuming your high opinion of her is true, and coming from you certainly tarnishes any promises of a sterling reputation, if you and Anu desire me to do it, I have even more reason to decline." I retorted.

"Perhaps you enjoy rebelling but in this case, you lack other options. The girl's powers are why you are free of the grail's influence." She grinned wide at pointing out any flaw I might possess. "While she is impressive, her purification will only last while you are near her, that is…"

"…until the grail is destroyed…" I finished the thought, able to see where she was going. The witch was enjoying this, she clapped her hands together and she nodded in mock congratulations at my conclusion.

"See, you can teach an old dog new tricks. I'm glad it didn't destroy what little mental capacity you had to begin with. I can tell father you'll be a good little pup then?" Ishtar laughed when I stepped closer, not flinching and instead leaning up near my face so I paused instead of threatening her. "We'll have all the time for games later. You wouldn't want to break your only remedy until you finish your mission."

"I never agreed to anything." The words at least sounded confident. We both knew it was a hollow protest.

"Nevertheless, you'll comply. Perhaps not for us, but for yourself. What is it like, being the puppet of a tool crafted by the mongrels you so despise?" She ran her hands through her hair, frowning as she looked at it. It wasn't as she normally kept it and the color was slightly less dark than her own, hers was a colorless shade that matched her heart.

"If Anu can interfere this much in the war, why doesn't your father deal with this problem himself?" I asked, knowing it would get under her skin.

"You are aware that the gods cannot directly get involved any longer." She tried to stay calm but I could hear the slight hissing in her response. "Father can alter some of the way the magics work, but he cannot step down and smite the other Servants or he would have taken the grail from the mortals long ago."

"I wonder. If you are done with playing courier for your father then move along, your presence is tiresome." I announced, leaving my face in a scowl. It was as though I was being forced into an uncomfortable proximity with a leper that never bathed. I knocked her hand away when she reached up toward my face again.

"My new pet, none of that. It would be difficult to protect your new ward if I ordered you never to touch her without permission, now wouldn't it?" Ishtar let out a small giggle. "See, father may have sent me but I don't care if you succeed or not, I only want to see you suffer. You'll behave yourself and I won't have to make this more difficult for you."

She was quiet a moment then reached up again, I grit my teeth. When this game of hers was done I'd find a way to kill the witch once and for all…

"There's a good boy." She purred, reaching up to brush fingers through my hair and grinning at my silent revulsion. "I have to check in from time to time, make sure you don't have any accidents. I hope you'll miss me."

I was contemplating if there was a way to express how much that was an impossibility in any language when Kagome's body fell to the floor. When Ishtar's presence left the girl she was still unconscious, her physical form exhausted from her effort to purify the grail's influence. I pinched the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes. The war would end swiftly, but not because those fools wanted it, because I would see Ishtar unmade for this trespass…there was no where she could run to that my hands wouldn't find their way around her little throat…

 ** _Kagome - September 2_** ** _nd_** ** _Late Afternoon/Early Evening –_**

There was a strange ache that accompanied returning to consciousness, my side hurt and there was something pressing into my stomach that I must have laid on. My entire body felt sorer than the time I'd volunteered to run that 10k and didn't practice enough. I let out a gasp of pain as needles shot through my limbs and neck when I pushed myself up. This wasn't my futon, what the hell? Why was I crumpled up on the floor? I was laying half in the small living area and half in the small tiled part of the kitchen over one of my slippers. Ow.

One of my legs had been folded under me, it sent shots of pain from nerves coming back to awareness after being pressed on for who knows how long. What the hell happened? I…oh god…I'd summoned some sort of creature…and then I'd purified him. Was he dead? He'd seemed fine before I lost consciousness. I rubbed my neck and my face, trying to push away the pounding that echoed in my head. I really shouldn't do anymore purifications on tile…there was a line in my face from where I'd 'slept'. Ugh.

I rubbed my leg for a time to get some feeling back but even when I stood I still stumbled slightly, hissing at the discomfort of my limb trying to wake up. It was difficult to put weight on it without stumbling since it was fairly numb. This was the worst shape I'd woken up in, even that time the girls convinced me to have sake with them in the city.

"Finally, I wasn't sure you were going to wake up before the war ended." The deep voice prompted me to look up at Gilgamesh who had come out of my bathroom. His hair was still damp but at least he was dressed. He was using my shower?

"Why did you just leave me on the floor!?" I protested, anger bubbling up at the idea that he just left me laying here when he could have at least moved me to my bed. "What time is it? It's daylight, I'm late for school."

"It doesn't particularly matter. We couldn't get started until you woke and gave me leave to start destroying the other participants in the war." He stated, as though waiting for me to order him to 'go win, k thx'. I frowned at him as I struggled to get up, my body very unhappy with the way I'd 'slept'.

"What? No. I helped you and you just left me on the floor…" I remarked…

"Yes. You weren't conscious and I didn't want to touch you. You are fine." He stated with a tinge of aversion, as though picking me up and moving me would have been like asking him to clean up some gross mess left on the floor by a pet he didn't want. At least this answered my question of if he was just a jerk or if had been the corruption around him. Nope, he was just horrible apparently.

"I am not 'fine'." I hissed back, sinking onto the couch instead of trying to walk. "My leg is still half asleep, my head feels like it was being pounded into the floor, and I ache everywhere because you left me on the ground like a rag doll. People can't sleep like that and be okay."

"You aren't bleeding, you can move. As it is we've lost a lot of time due to your fragile constitution, if you aren't going to die presently best to get started." He stated with the same indifference for how he'd just walked by and left me like litter on a sidewalk.

"I'm not going anywhere right now." I returned, holding my head since yelling at him would just make it worse. "I've got to get ready and go to class."

"That seems unlikely, it's nearing evening." He replied.

Sure enough, my clock read it was after four. I'd missed all my classes. I sighed, hobbling over to get a bottle of water from the fridge before sitting back down. I wanted to whimper when my stomach growled. I'd been out almost twelve hours and I hadn't had much to eat yesterday other than the ramen. I certainly hadn't had time to go shopping.

"Dammit…I told you I had class…" I pressed the bottle to my face where it hurt, rolling it over my forehead too. "You couldn't have at least nudged me with your foot or something?"

"Your pedestrian lifestyle is not a viable option." He answered, not offering a moment of empathy for my painful return to consciousness or remarking on his ability to have helped. "If you want it to return to normal as quickly as possible, then order me to get to work and I'll be out of your hair."

"No way, not with your moral compass." I answered. "I'll get showed and dressed in a minute, then we'll go eat and…"

I got quiet when I noticed he'd leaned down and was looking at me closely again, there was a revulsion in his eyes that hadn't been there before. Certainly, he'd talked and looked down on me but this was new, it was uniquely directed at me in a way it hadn't been before. It was like I was some poisonous plant, an ivy he didn't want to touch for fear of a rash…yet I didn't sense the same malevolence as before. There was instead more of the light I'd first seen when I'd summoned him, the one I'd mistaken at first for angelic.

"Mongrel, my patience is wearing thin…perhaps I cannot kill you…but I can make your life difficult all the same. If you think I cannot force you to use those seals you use for protection so your shield disappears it is a mistake. Think very hard how many commands you can actually give to stop me before you run out." I swallowed at his measured threat. It wasn't the slightly manic tossed off promised pain that he'd used yesterday. No, somehow this new controlled mannerism was even more menacing…had I made him worse?

"What happened after I passed out?" I asked, flinching when he set his arms to either side of my head on the couch. This time he didn't seem pleased at my fear, or to feel much of anything about it. He wasn't quietly amused at his intimidation as he'd been yesterday…the somber indifference was more foreboding than the feeling of a cat playing with a mouse. I'd been the prey before but now? Once the feline lost interest the rodent usually didn't last…

"The puppet master came out to greet me while you were sleeping." I was surprised he answered me at all but the confusion on my face seemed to prompt him to continue. "Ishtar is able to speak through you, because you are descended from her. She had a message from the old gods. After she offered it you fell to the floor and I left you…if you wish to be cross with someone point your distaste at her. She knew the condition she was leaving you in."

"Huh? What? Really?" I frowned at this. I ignored his telling me my pains were the fault of this woman. I was more concerned with the idea that something possessed me. I'd had things take over my body before, so I knew it was possible. I could remember times I was forced to act against my friends when I didn't wish to, but I'd always at least seen what was happening in my own body. This time I wasn't aware of what he was talking about. Of course, I'd been unconscious but still… "Why? What did she say?"

"Enough to convince me to finish this war swiftly and destroy the grail. Other battles have already started in the city, last night there were Servant's clashing not far from from here." He replied, pushing away from me.

"Wait…you want to help me now?" I was getting dizzy with all the one-eighties this man-spirit-thing kept making. "Can this woman, er goddess I guess…just possess me whenever she wants to?"

"I could explain more along the way." He prompted, his irritation obvious at my not jumping to indulge his haste.

"I haven't even show…you know what, fine. I'll go along with you this time but let me change and put a brush my hair and teeth, can you wait outside?" I pushed myself back to my feet, though I had mixed feelings about being able to feel my leg beneath me again as I limped toward my closet.

"If you wish to prepare just do so." He answered, walking to my front and looking out the window. "You are perfectly sacred, I assure you."

His tone wasn't complimentary but I took my clothes into the bathroom instead of arguing with him. It wasn't a comfortable place to change since it was small but it worked well enough. A few minutes later I was walking next to him after locking my door. I rushed to keep up with him, not sure what was going on.

"Where are we going? You said you'd explain." I prompted as I tried to keep up with his swift pace, but my body was still sore so I had to limp a little. "Can you slow down?"

"We've wasted a lot of time." He returned, and I'm pretty sure moved a bit faster. "We're going to inspect where I felt energy last night. As for Ishtar, I expect you would need to be unconscious for her to take over your body, but it is a matter of your own will. You are just a mortal, so it likely would be possible if you are awake as well."

"You realize this mortal mongrel you keep being rude to saved you from some serious corruption, right?" I deadpanned. Did he talk to everyone like this? "I don't see why I should even believe you…you kept telling me you wanted to kill me. Why should I follow you anywhere?"

Gilgamesh turned around suddenly and I nearly ran into him before pausing. The smile he offered as I threw my hands in the air to stop short of bouncing off his chest was more the mischievous look I'd seen during his first visit, but now it was more playful than before. That faded when he spoke with a serious tone I rarely heard. "I am helping you because it is in my interest to aid in the destruction of an artifact capable of augmenting my mind, that already had done so as you saw. I would like to do this swiftly for my sake, but you have just as much reason to want the task finished quickly if you wish to return to your life as it usually is. You will survive this grail war intact, I swear to your safety as the King of Heroes. As long as our contract exists I will see myself perish before I allow you to. Does this suffice?"

 **End Chapter**

Gilgamesh is a go-getter. He doesn't like this whole not being able to act on his many life threats, that's not cool. He's also now slightly less douche without the grail messing him up – but still a dick because he just let Kagome lay there on the floor for many hours since he didn't want to touch anything that Ishtar had been inside – I mean, ew. Poor Kagome…

 _-Aura_

To my reviewers:

Thanks for all the love. I hope you continue to enjoy : )

Chai tea – I ship Rin and Gilgamesh though I don't see a lot of them. Rin only looks like Ishtar cause Ishtar is possessing her I believe…there was trash talking though.

Sillvog – Kagome isn't happy about the possession but there's not a lot she can do atm.


	5. The Sparrows and the Nightingales

End of Last Chapter:

 _Gilgamesh turned around suddenly and I nearly ran into him before pausing. The smile he offered as I threw my hands in the air to stop short of bouncing off his chest was more the mischievous look I'd seen during his first visit, but now it was more playful than before. That faded as he spoke. "I am helping you because it is in my interest to aid in the destruction of an artifact capable of augmenting my mind, that already had done so as you saw. I would like to do this swiftly for my sake, but you have just as much reason to want the task finished quickly if you wish to return to your life as it usually is. You will survive this grail war intact, I swear to your safety as the King of Heroes. As long as our contract exists I will see myself perish before I allow you to. Does this suffice?"_

 **Chapter Five:** _The Sparrows and the Nightingales_

 _"Leaving home…and god is on your side. Dividing sparrows from the nightingales, watching all the time. Dividing water from the burning fire inside. And god is on your side. Dividing cruelty from tenderness, watching all the time. Dividing fiction from reality."_

 **-Wolfsheim lyrics,** **_The Sparrows and the Nightingales_**

 ** _Kagome - September 2_** ** _nd_** ** _Evening –_**

I nodded at his explanation slowly, I hadn't expected such a detailed answer. His swearing to keep me safe was even more shocking. I was still a bit concerned he could be leading me toward some sort of certain death but it all sounded legitimate enough. He was different, still intolerably prideful and unquestionably confident but without the shadows that were reflecting in his face and eyes before I'd purified him. I didn't get the same impressions I had before that he was being deceitful to me. I didn't really feel he was lying…

"Okay…well, once this is done will they possess me more?" I asked. He laughed at my concern and then turned back toward the path to walk again, thankfully a bit more slowly than a moment ago so I could keep an easier pace.

"I understand your aversion to having such a creature inside you. I do not know if she'll still have such an inclination but I wouldn't be concerned. When the war is over I plan to find and slay Ishtar, she can't possess you when she's dead." Gilgamesh said coldly, but the tonal temperature wasn't directed at me, I knew it was for this other god.

"What did she do to make you hate her so much?" I asked curiously.

"Your actions thus far have given me a change of heart toward your survival when our contract is over mongrel, don't ruin it." He commented over a shoulder.

"You really should stop threatening me all the time. It doesn't really engender trust." I retorted. "Aren't we supposed to work together?"

He came to a pause outside the fence toward one of the local high schools. Pushing past my question about Ishtar. "A battle occurred here last night. I'm certain of it. Can you feel any energy nearby?"

"Uh…should I?" I knew I sounded dense but I was basically a baby magus.

"You could sense the curse around me but you can't feel the heavy aura of the magic traded here?" He was disapproving, which seemed his base setting so I was getting better at ignoring it. "It isn't of consequence, they aren't here now. They traded blows for a time then parted ways, it happened last night. Officially battles between Servants are to occur at night and not allow for witnesses. No Servants have yet been slain."

"I've always sort of been specialized in priestess-ey things and even then I'm not super great at them. I'm told I have a lot of strength but I never grew up with it. I just sort of learned everything as I went." I defended my lack of ability as best I could. I also just wanted to be honest to avoid any other confusion, I didn't want him assuming I could do anything I couldn't do. "What should I do? How can I sense it?"

"How did you sense what was wrong with me?" He asked, looking at me for more than a split second, a sign he was interested.

"Well, I just sort of did…I saw dark fire all around you. Like it was consuming you." I answered, still disturbed by the memory of the dark miasma going into and out of his mouth while he ate. "It just came and went. I didn't do something specific to see it, I just saw it. Once I realized it was there, I couldn't just leave it…the way someone just leaves an unconscious person laying on the floor."

"At least you were honest about your lack of training." He remarked, ignoring my insult while managing to sound t still managed to sound degrading toward me. "Still, you'll need to have some general sense of your surroundings instead of stumbling blind if I am to keep you in one piece."

"Wait, what are you doing? You can't do that." I protested as he broke the chain to the school gate with a flicker of light, then started to open it.

"It'll be easier if you are closer to where the center of the battle was." He answered, holding open the gate without having even slowed at my objection. "Come."

"We can't just wander a high school, what if someone sees us? I'll be arrested." I hissed, glancing around nervously at him just holding open the fence like he owned the place. People were going to think we were strange perverts. He didn't move so I scooted inside just to get away from any possible passerby on the street that might notice us. "This isn't okay, it's against the law."

"You really would have lost the war with any other Servant." He commented, his hands in his pockets. He was an island of composure in the sea of my anxiety. How did he just not care about anything? "My existence and the grail war aren't accounted for in these laws."

"You said it had rules though." I pointed out.

"Yes, there is a code of conduct to be followed." He shrugged at me and paused in the center of one of the school's yards. "However, a battle already happened here. It was somewhere in this clearing. Look around, do you see anything?"

"What? Not really…" I looked around at his request, the yard was a bit barren of grass but it was probably walked on often by the students. There were many buildings so at least this area wasn't something you'd easily see from one of the adjoining roads. Just a yard between other school owned areas. I blinked at a small flicker of lights in the air, was that what he meant?

"Uh, there was…something?" I said uncertainly.

"Try focusing on it." He suggested.

I stared around for a while, looking at the area where I'd seen the flash but it was dark and I was starting to feel silly about the time he covered my eyes with his hand. I jumped but he held me from moving back because he'd moved behind me while I was trying to concentrate. I went to pull his arm down but it didn't budge.

"Calm down mongrel, our contract is in place. No need to raise your hackles." He reminded me of his pledge earlier and I tried to relax, though it was a bit difficult with a guy that tried to kill me a few times holding a hand over my face. "There, now close your eyes and I'll drop my hand. Good. Try to slow your breathing."

I did my best to listen to him, surprised at how neutral he was while explaining.

"Most spirits naturally feel others and we have an attunement to the supernatural beyond that of mortals as we aren't mortals ourselves. However, a magus is very capable of sensing mystical energy without the need for a visual clue. It's one of the first things many of them learn. In your case, your natural aptitude projects it to you through visions but you have a tough time using your sense for yourself." He stated, stepping into the role of a teacher with an ease I wouldn't have expected. He touched my arm lightly.

"You react when I touch you but you don't allow natural reflex to overcome you so completely you fall over. A child has to learn to hone the information their senses take in, to learn what different sounds, sights, or touches actually mean. This is no different from that." He continued, and I nodded slightly, glancing to the side when he touched my opposite elbow this time but keeping my eyes dutifully shut. "If you retain some composure you can quiet the noise of other senses and fixate on those that remain. In the dark, the slightest brush on your skin tells you something is there that you may not have noticed in the light."

"I still don't sense anything." I pointed out, then, I was a bit distracted at his strange lesson. Was this really supposed to help?

"In this case it is harder, as the battle happened yesterday. The energy signatures left here aren't as strong as if something active was happening but more like tracks after a day or so. They're still visible to those that know to look for them. Try to detach yourself from your other senses and feel this place, it's signs and signals can tell you what is around you without the need for sight. Don't be extreme and push too hard, let yourself breath it in before trying to pick out minute details." He continued to explain in a gentler voice than I was used to hearing from him but I nodded at this explanation. Once I managed to get out of my own head by focusing on his words I still could 'see' some of the lights I'd noticed before.

At first, I'd thought there was a larger blue presence than a red but the more I watched the more I realized there were two shades of blue, and each was their own pressure on the world. They flittered all around here…and one seemed to only come in later… "I think there were three other Servant's here? It's hard to really tell, one seemed to come in after the others were already battling each other."

"Good." I saw him nodding at my assessment when I opened my eyes. "You have a grasp of it then, you'll want to practice when you can. It seems they aren't intending to return from what I can tell. Do you sense any Servants anywhere now?"

"I can try." I closed my eyes again, breathing the way I did for yoga to help center myself. It seemed to at least lessen my stress. Okay, so the lights that were here, where had they gone then? If I could see them now, couldn't I follow them?

 _"Oh? I didn't expect yet another magus on the field…"_

The voice in my head got me to pop my eyes open, glancing around nervously. What the hell was that? Gilgamesh didn't seem concerned so I don't think he'd heard it, laughter echoed in my head at my concern before fading away.

"What was that? Some girl was talking in my head…" I spoke aloud, rubbing my arms and glancing at the shadows with less trust than before. "Can spirits do that?"

"It is possible." He nodded, walking closer to me from where he'd been inspecting the area to set a hand on my forehead. "You said a girl, it could have been Ishtar."

"No, at least I don't think so. They said they hadn't expected another magus on the field." I replied. "Am I calling attention to myself doing this?"

"Hmm, Caster probably…if she spoke into your head she likely has some method of watching us from afar." Gilgamesh remarked, looking around as he walked closer to me. "She probably saw the fight yesterday and wanted to observe any other Servant's that came to investigate."

"You walked us into a trap?" I asked in irritation. Wasn't he supposed to be helping?

"A trap would imply they could harm us." He replied with a dismissive shrug, his hand settling around my wrist. "It does play part of our hand but if she's the only one aware of us there is little harm. This investigation needs to move to Kotomine. He's the largest danger to us."

"Are you really planning to kill him? You said he was your ally. Why are you holding my hand?" I was blushing. This was all too much. Why did he keep getting so close to me? This man needed to learn that people had personal bubbles.

"'Was' being a key element to that observation." Gilgamesh answered, pulling up my arm to show me my wrist, there was a thin chain dangling there with a diamond shaped purple gem hanging from it. "Don't remove this, at all. It'll interrupt magic used to spy on you or contact you from a distance but only while you are wearing it."

I nodded quietly, swallowing to try and fight off the dryness in my mouth. How sad was I? Getting nervous and shy around this guy…maybe I should have dated a little, this was pathetic. I couldn't argue though, it seemed like a solid plan to use this sort of thing if he had it.

"As for Kotomine, our arrangement has long grown tedious. A falsity born from the corruption of the grail. I'll take us close and you can wait while I go inside. I don't want to put you in danger and he's not to be underestimated." He wasn't so bad when he wasn't being a jerk and just explaining things. I was glad I'd cleansed him or I'm sure this would have been an even more painful day.

"I can fight, if we go to my house I can get my bow and arrows." I said. "Even if you want me to stay back I'd rather have something to defend myself with."

I realized from what I had read that it was better not to get directly involved against a Servant, but I would feel more comfortable having some form of protection instead of just sitting alone hoping no one targeted me while Gilgamesh was busy. I wasn't really too keen on letting him go alone anyway…

"You are an archer?" The amusement in his voice was confusing, more so when he laughed as I nodded in confirmation. Why was that funny? There were lots of female archers in history. I was about to ask what his problem was when he followed up his amusement with a question I didn't expect. "You want a bow then? What is your preference?"

"Uh, please? I use a short bow." I had expected him to start mocking me for being mortal or being a woman but instead there was a bow near me, hanging from one of his rippling gates next to a quiver. I carefully picked them up. "Thanks. Why is me being an archer funny?"

"The world is unexpectedly ironic in its humor at times." He replied without actually answering anything. "Here, we should go."

Before I could utter a word to stop him he'd picked me up by the waist and we'd disappeared. The entire world seemed to glow in a burnished celestial light a fleeting moment before I realized our surroundings were different, we were in a totally different part of the city where there were more trees and fewer buildings. I stumbled but he kept me steady since he hadn't let go of my waist yet. Smiling at the wide-eyed awe I offered. He could just teleport us around where he liked? Did he move us through those same gateways he summoned his items through?

"If you behave yourself I'll indulge your curiosities later." He commented lightly, helping me to a nearby tree so I could lean on it. His minor change in personality hadn't effected how easily he read me. "Mortals aren't accustomed to my method of travel, it takes time to adjust to it. I'll be back soon."

I nodded to him, which I suppose was giving him leave even though I had planned to go with him. I was a little too flustered to argue. It was difficult to get a grasp of this man, he was tossing insults and dictating to me one moment but offering gifts and patiently teaching me the next. I didn't know if he was a patron or a tyrant, both seemed the more likely answer but that was the issue. The man was more complicated than his oppressive ambience would indicate. There was more to him than the pride he cloaked himself in. He hadn't threatened me much since I'd purified him, he'd implied threats but they'd lacked the same murderous intent. He more seemed ready to do what was required to spur me into action on this makeshift quest of ours. He'd even given me an item to safeguard me against others watching me…

I wanted to believe Gilgamesh was being earnest now that I'd cleansed the strange taint around him. I still had to make sure, now that the flustered moment had passed and my dizziness cleared I pushed from the tree and picked my way after the direction he'd walked off in. I wanted to try and watch his actions to judge more clearly for myself who this man was.

 **End Chapter**

I personally feel like perhaps some Caster Gil came out what with the teaching part of what was happening…

-Aura

To my reviewers:

Thanks for the observations and reviews : )


	6. Hurricane

End of Last Chapter:

 _I wanted to believe Gilgamesh was being earnest now that I'd cleansed the strange taint around him. I still had to make sure, now that the flustered moment had passed and my dizziness cleared I pushed from the tree and picked my way after the direction he'd walked off in. I wanted to try and watch his actions to judge more clearly for myself who this man was._

 **Chapter Six:** **_Hurricane_**

 _"No matter how many deaths that I die I will never forget. Now matter how many lives that I live, I will never regret. There is a fire inside of this heart, and a riot about to explode into flames. Where is your God?"_

 **-30 Seconds to Mars Lyrics,** **_Hurricane_**

 ** _Gilgamesh – September 2_** ** _nd_** ** _– Late Evening –_**

The church was one of the oldest for the false faith in the area, one built by some of the earliest missionaries that had come to Japan. It was what many would consider Serene with some open grounds around it that kept it just a little separate from the city. I smirked as I slipped inside, knowing just how much of a front the calm was. I knew well the rot beneath the polished surface, I'd helped put him here after all. Kotomine was standing near the front of the church, looking at one of the idols hanging there. He often quietly contemplated why eyeing objects of his 'faith'.

"You've read some of the bible, haven't you?" He asked and I shrugged uncaringly at his question as I approached him. "How often have you played the role of Judas?"

"That is the pot calling the kettle black." I laughed. Not too surprised he'd already discovered that I'd switched masters. We'd had a lot going on after all and it'd been over a day since I'd spoken with him. "Given I know your history I'll take your sermons as greater fiction than usual."

"I thought you had your own plans, but jumping master's?" Kotomine replied, a hint of irritation leaking into his enlightened priest mask. "I cannot allow that to pass unscathed."

"Allow…do you think even with your arm of command seals you ever truly allowed me to do anything?" I returned, amused at the shocked expression on his face as a blade cut through his arm from behind, severing the limb the moment I desired it severed. I didn't have reason to sit and discuss our years together, and if he was talking then he was buying time. I'd made him far too great a manipulator to think he'd take my 'betrayal' laying down. I couldn't know exactly what he had planned but I wasn't going to sit here and wait it out.

His scream was delayed, it didn't start until a moment before his arm hit the floor, blood spraying out over the polished dias, staining the fabric hanging from the altar as he backed away from me. Not that a retreat could save him. Even the scream he released cut off as his other arm was severed a moment later. Any commands he might have given a different Servant would no longer matter, that proved to be wise as I felt energy racing this way.

"I wonder, did you know that the grail had cursed me?" I asked walking toward him with a leisurely pace.

"I expected." He hissed out, eyes pressed closed in a grimace of pain. "Funny isn't it, that for all your hubris you were just as sinful as any of us humans."

I glanced over a shoulder, no longer concerned with Kotomine's fruitless mockery.

A blue clad Servant raced through the doors with a spear in hand. Kotomine had gotten the second Servant he'd mentioned then. Really, he never should have let me know he'd planned to pull a second one to his service in the first place. I knew why he had, certainly he didn't want me killing any of his pawns, but it had worked against him all the same. I smirked at the other Servant when he glanced between me and his 'master' in shock. Smiling when red energy started to build around his spear, amused at the audacity he had to raise a blade against me.

"Gae…" The creature seemed intent on stabbing me as he rushed at me, but he didn't finish his attack. I considered him carefully watching him race at me where I stood between the rows of pews, hands in my pockets.

I didn't move, watching the Lancer race at me until Enkidu curled out to ensnare the creature, raising a brow at way his spear had bent slightly out of place while coming at me. Had I not wished this dealt with swiftly, he likely would have pierced my flesh with the spear. Unlucky for him I was in a more serious mood than usual after recent events. Perhaps this was all going to be no more than a mild annoyance but I had new reason to treat it with more effort than I normally would. With a motion, the spear was torn from his hands by another length of chain.

"Can't fight me yourself Goldy? Who are you?" He hissed, lacking the respect I was due as he struggled with Enkidu. His protests interrupted when the chains curled around his neck and tightened while he fought with them. So many made that mistake, not recognizing their leader, a widespread problem these days. It wasn't much surprise that the grail successfully used such sacrilege to press me toward its goal, I still wasn't a large fan of this era but I didn't wish it destroyed…it was mine after all.

"I lack the inclination, yes. Such protest when I'm removing the least honorable master you've ever possessed." I remarked, waving a hand over one of my shoulders as I walked toward Kotomine. Smiling at the glare he was offering me as the arms I'd removed fell away into my gates, to be place in my vault. "Several extra command seals...a worthy enough treasure to collect despite the grim item they're written on. I'll have to have the skin peeled away and treated."

I drew a sword from the air with my free hand, setting it over his throat. "Kotomine, it seems our alliance has reached an inevitable conclusion. Still, you seemed to realize from the start this is where it would end. You should rejoice, I'm giving you the honor of slaying you myself."

Whatever final words he might have possessed to insult my generosity couldn't be deciphered through the gurgling after the tip of my blade pierced his jugular. He'd done the same to many others over the years, was it quite what he'd imagined when he went through it himself?

"Gilgamesh!" It wasn't my name that got my attention, it was the voice calling it. Hadn't I told the girl to stay outside?

 ** _Kagome -_** **_September 2_** ** _nd_** ** _– Late Evening –_**

"What are you doing!?" I stared in horror at the dead priest at the front of the church, at the strange chains wrapped around another man dressed in a weird blue scuba outfit? I didn't know what he was wearing. "Why did you dismember him!?"

Nope. I had been wrong about it being some sort of impure influence, this guy was just a psycho.

"He possessed a few extra command seals than the average Magus," Gilgamesh only frowned at me as I picked my way by glaring scuba man to move closer to him at the front of the church. "It was wise to take them from him."

"So, you removed both arms?" I was skeptical as to his excuses at this point.

"That is where the seals existed. Why did you come here? If other Servants were observing this place then you could have been caught by them." Gilgamesh pressed by question, at least he didn't stab the body again as I half feared he would, instead he started walking toward the other one wrapped in chains.

"No, nope…what are you doing?" I paused in front of Gilgamesh so he couldn't start rampaging the next guy's limbs.

"The Servants are what power the grail and force it to appear…while you may not need all seven dead to manifest it, at least some sacrifices are required." Gilgamesh stated, not at all disturbed by what had happened here. "Must I state it plainly? I need to kill him. If we leave him to roam he will likely pick up a new master and we'll have more people to kill in the long run. As it is, someone will arrive soon looking for the priest, the more quickly we finish him the better."

The diver let out a growl from where he continued to try and get free, but every time he seemed to make any headway against the sterling threads more of them came from further gates to further entangle him. It was like watching someone sinking in quicksand, only disappearing faster the more they moved to try and escape…I frowned as I watched him fight. He wasn't going to give up even if he ended up in a cocoon of metal.

"Wait, what do you mean people are going to come looking for the priest? I thought people didn't know the other participants in the grail war." I asked. "Why would anyone come looking?"

"Oh? Did I forget to mention Kotomine was assigned by the church to oversee the war and offer a place of safe haven? Then, our guest knew that the priest was cheating the rules and agreed to work for him. Of course, I doubt he realized Kotomine was the one that murdered his master." Gilgamesh explained, though he was watching the trapped Servant and not me. I followed his glance and noted the surprise on the male spirits face. He was as shocked as I was at this news, the pain of betrayal obvious in his eyes.

"You can't just kill him." I shook my head. "The point is that you are to battle each other, isn't it?"

"I'm more the creator of regulations than the follower of them." Gilgamesh answered, and before I could utter more protests the light in the room grew. I tried to grab the blonde's hands, hoping if I could hold him then perhaps I could interrupt his strange ability…but the sickening strikes echoed out a moment later behind me. I didn't turn around, instead my hand met his cheek and his composure broke for the second time into a shocked expression.

"I didn't want you to kill him! That wasn't fair!" My voice raised in emotion, frustrated at Gilgamesh's utter lack of concern for anyone else. "You can't just murder people!"

He grabbed my arm and pulled me around to look at the room. I winced and closed my eyes, swallowing and not wanting to see more unnecessary gore.

"Look at it!" He snapped, shaking me once.

I complied, nervous at first, but there was nothing…

The chains didn't still hang in the air, there was no blood splashed everywhere as I'd thought there would be…no body cut to ribbons with lifeless eyes…

"Spirits aren't people, he's not dead." Gilgamesh hissed in my ear, his own temper clearly roused by my strike. "He'll return to the Throne of Heroes."

"Oh…" I said with less fervor, hating that Gilgamesh had a logical reply to my protests. I was relieved to a point that there weren't two lives on our hands but I couldn't quite bring myself to look back at the mutilated priest. The man was horrible, I believed Gilgamesh when he stated that much…there had been a shocking amount of miasma around him when I'd walked inside. Enough that it had made my call out Gilgamesh's name a moment too late before the sword finished Kotomine off.

"Okay, I accept that the spirits don't die like people but people can't just be summoned back. You can't just kill humans. What if I could have purified this priest like I did you?" I asked, frowning at Gilgamesh and shaking my head.

"You could not purify his insanity, it wasn't a result of the grail. He was beyond mystical ability to aid." Gilgamesh shook his head at me. Was he serious? The man was just insane? It was hard to stomach but I couldn't really blame Gilgamesh if that was true. "We lack the time for this frivolous debate, I can feel other Servants nearby. They likely will have noticed the short altercation. Then again, we could use it to draw them in and finish them as well. Go sit in the booth's there."

"I am not going to hide in a confessional while you use a dead priest to bait people into a trap!" I hissed, holding my hands in the air out of pure frustration. What sort of suggestion was that? "That is not something I ever should have had to say!"

"Do you plan to join in the battle then?" He asked, smirking at me as I heard voices outside. Shoot, he wasn't lying that we didn't have time. I drug him with me into one of the confessionals…dragging the curtain closed. "You don't think they'll notice us?"

"Shhh," I hissed, trying to come up with an idea as to what we should do. "You, you can teleport us like before…just get us out of here."

He chuckled at my suggestion. "Worry not, this is to be sanctuary during the war. I won't attack if they don't."

"…ould be able to explain…" A female voice paused after walking a few steps into the church. Shit, so much for it going unnoticed…

"What happened!?" A male voice this time, was shocked.

"Shirou, we shouldn't linger here." The female voice sounded nervous. "Archer."

"I'm not sure, there was another presence here a moment ago." A third voice, also male.

"He's dead." The first male remarked. "Who would kill a priest?"

I grabbed at Gilgamesh but he slipped outside leaving a laugh echoing gently in this 'sacred' space as he went. What was he doing? I peeked around the curtain…at least two of them looked human. The other one was dressed strangely so I could only assume they were one of the spirits. I scooted quickly after my spirit, holding my bow tightly as I went.

"Not to be concerned…Kotomine was cheating all along." Gilgamesh remarked casually as he walked out so he was visible. "Oh, I thought the signature of energy was familiar, but it is weaker. Summoned to two wars in repeat, the King of Knights is a busy woman."

Another girl had just walked in, a blonde with green eyes. She had an older form of dress and after Gilgamesh's comment I could only guess she was a spirit as well. What in the world? Why did he want to take on more than one at once? Did he have a death wish!?

"This is neutral ground." The mortal girl with dark hair stated, moving behind the silver haired man near her. "You did this?"

"I did and this being asylum is why you all live." Gilgamesh confirmed. "Kotomine had summoned a spirit of his own…but that doesn't surprise you, does it, Rin Tohsaka?"

"Shirou…" The blonde spirit had grabbed the ginger haired boys hand when he started to walk toward us. "Don't."

She looked nervous, staring at Gilgamesh in surprise.

"How do you know us?" The one he'd called Rin asked.

"I recognize you from when your father used to drag your picture with him." Gilgamesh stated. "He had it on him when Kotomine killed him."

"What?" Rin scowled at us. "What are you talking about?"

"I suppose you never realized just how horrible he was, he was your teacher after all." Gilgamesh observed. He seemed ready to explain further to the girl what he meant but his gaze shifted when the silver haired Servant stepped in front of Rin. "Oh? Going to break the sanctity of the grounds?"

"As if the body behind you gives you any right to use that justification." The man retorted.

"Do you think you should be safe after that!?" The boy added in a louder voice, gesturing at the mess of the priest Gilgamesh left near the alter. He looked ready to jump across the church even though he was human. I drew an arrow, setting it in the bow. I didn't draw back yet but this was spiraling quickly. Gilgamesh's laughter drew all our attention.

"Why would you presume I'm the one that requires the safety of this place…" Gilgamesh gestured over his shoulder and a glimmering wall of circles appeared behind us, lighting up the entire length of the church wall where we stood. Dozens of blades levitating out of the center of each of the little gates, I could tell they were all nervous and the blonde woman looked downright frightened. "If you prefer I kill you now instead of later I'll oblige you the request."

"This is respecting neutral ground?" I muttered, drawing my arrow slightly, calling out. "If you all back down, we will for now!"

"Why should we believe you?" The silver haired one asked but didn't move forward.

"Shirou…we should withdraw for now." The blonde spirit commented but her hand was at her hip, as though she were also holding something we couldn't see.

"Saber, you know him." The boy remarked, it wasn't a question.

"I have crossed blades with him before." The female spirit, apparently Saber? confirmed, her hands gripping more tightly on the invisible item she held. "We fought during the last grail war…he won it. He's also an Archer Type Servant but I don't know his identity."

"He won the last war." Rin repeated, glancing back to Gilgamesh and me, her eyes scanning his wall of weaponry. "That's why you'd rather retreat. I think it's a promising idea then."

"You said we could work together…now seems a good time before they harm anyone else." Shirou answered, not moving to back down. The boy seemed ready to charge us…if it came to combat I'd shoot him first. He wouldn't die if I took out a knee…I doubted my wayward 'helper' would be so merciful.

"We'll leave for now if you back down." I repeated, wanting to make the offer instead of just letting Gilgamesh control the situation. "This priest had a Servant here who died before you arrived, the man was a threat to all of us by breaking the rules for his own gain."

I didn't know for certain if the priest had been a threat but my gut told me Gilgamesh had little reason to lie. Nor was it a lie that he'd had a Servant, I'd seen it with my own eyes. The rest of them exchanged glances, seeming unsure what to think of me and Gilgamesh. The humans were young, and judging by the uniforms they were still in high school. Couldn't the war have picked more suitable people to represent humanity? Then, I knew the artifact was corrupted so any of them could have been as well…

"My patience wanes," Gilgamesh commented, armor only barely more gold than his hair appearing on his person as he spoke. "Unless you accept the charitable offer of my summoner, or you wish to discuss our future together Saber, I see no reason to draw this out."

 **End Chapter**

College started back up so I should be doing college work but after spending 20+ hours on it in two days I really wanted (REALLY wanted) to do something more enjoyable. So I decided to work on my fiction. I hope it's a small consolation for anyone else having returning to school woes.

 _-Aura_

To my reviewers:

Thanks for all the great reviews, I hope you continue to enjoy. Sadly it'll probably be a while before I can post again with my school issues ./le sigh

Sillvog – Yeah, well…that's fair but Gilgamesh is actually serious and has little patience to explain how th people he is killing are. He wants to finish everything so he can pulverize Ishtar lol.


	7. Don't Mess With Me

End of Last Chapter:

 _"My patience wanes," Gilgamesh commented, armor appearing slowly on his person as he spoke. "Unless you'd like to speak of accepting my offer Saber, I see no reason to draw this out."_

 **Chapter Seven:** **_Don't Mess With Me_**

"No one can stop me for only I am in control. If you want me you better contact my people. In my crown, I am king. I love their endless worshiping. I am raw, a dinosaur, but I will never be extinct, so don't mess with me. I'll shoot you down."

 **-Temposhark Lyrics,** **_Don't Mess With Me_**

 ** _Kagome_** **_– September 3_** ** _rd_** ** _– Exceptionally Early Morning –_**

"Your future together?" The human boy asked, his question mirroring my confusion.

"During the last war, he proposed." Saber hissed in displeasure and I rolled my eyes. Of course the idiot would do that. "I don't take such jests well."

"You would consider such a generous offer as a hoax?" Gilgamesh retorted with a shake of his head. "Quite discourteous."

 _Yes Gilgamesh, someone in the conversation fits that description, just not who you think it is…_

"Enough of this…Archer let's wit…" Rin's comments didn't finish, she paused in surprise to stare at Shirou as the boy began to run at us, forming a long pipe in his hand somehow from nothing. I could only assume it was magic but I wasn't going to hesitate now. He'd attacked us first and I didn't have much choice but to fight back. I pulled back my arrow to let it fly, though several blades were ahead of me, they were flying toward the other spirits who fought to deflect them. I let my own arrow fly and it shimmered, cutting a line of light through the air, grazing across the boy's knee as he was forced to hide behind a pew from the steady stream of blades coming from behind me.

My single projectile seemed like nothing in the rain of weapons that were going against the other opponents. Gilgamesh laughed as he tore apart the room with his unique ability, not seeming to care, but then his plan was to burn the place down so I couldn't really complain about destroying the property first. Was there even a contest here? No wonder he'd sounded so uncaring about fighting two of them at once. That was when I realized he had a new object in hand, a golden strange sort of key that he turned in the air. I felt the pulse of energy before I saw it.

Lines of scarlet light cut through the air, no through more than that, it went deeper than a single dimension…the light branched off through the roof upward, the building starting to crumble around us while I stuck near my own spirit. I couldn't tell how high the red light went, not from here…but I noticed it when it returned back in on itself and transformed. In place of the key was a spinning weapon with glowing marks I couldn't read, the light the same as the red that had started it's summoning. It was beautiful but daunting, I couldn't help but stare at it as it spun next to him, starting to speed up as he lifted it more from the ground.

I realized the room had exploded in activity. Blades were shooting at Gilgamesh from the silver haired spirit but they were blocked by Gilgamesh's own seemingly endless supply. The blonde woman though, she seemed to be preparing some sort of attack of her own. I could see lines of power and displaced air around her hands in the shape of a blade.

"Rejoice mongrels, you'll die as less than a handful of others have throughout time. You find a place far beyond your low status by being felled by my Ea." He remarked. He really needed to learn more about public speaking…or general etiquette. Or just to shut up since they were preparing attacks while he monologued like a villain from a comic book. I prepped another arrow, aiming it at the woman that seemed ready to attack. I could make out the flicker of her sword, some outline of her invisible blade that seemed to have a small barrier around it. That…wouldn't help her though…I already knew how to shoot beyond such mystical protections.

My arrow left my hand and I was certain it was on course to strike her weapon, to knock the power out of it so she couldn't loose whatever attack she had planned. Then, I didn't get to see the results. Right after I'd fired I was tackled to the ground by the red-haired boy that had managed somehow to get close in the chaos. He pressed a hand over my mouth, crying out. "Stop it! Leave them alone! I have your master."

The lights around the room paused, the red glowing blade was still in his hand but it wasn't spinning as quickly as it had been a moment ago. Gilgamesh stepped to the side as several projectiles shot near him but none of his gates were open to return the fire. The silver haired spirit had a bow in hand. The blonde woman was staring at a now visible longsword in her hands. It wasn't putting off the same energy signature as before. I would probably be happier at my success if this boy wasn't holding a knife over me. Was Gilgamesh pausing because I'd been threatened? That I wouldn't have expected after all the previous intimidation he'd leveled himself.

Did they think I was just going to sit here? The boy had a pointed object in hand but I didn't care, I hadn't survived this far being afraid of people threatening me. I bit into his hand hard enough to draw blood…jerk, trying to hold me hostage. I kicked and struggled against him, spitting his own blood into his face when he pulled his hand back in surprise at my having dug in my teeth. He had his weapon near me but hesitated to use it. Was his holding me here just a farce to slow my Servant?

I never had the chance to find out. Warm sticky liquid flowed out over my face and body, a series of wet spots leaking onto my clothes and skin. At least two dozen swords had cut into the boy, weapons having skewered through flesh and bone alike, including his head. There was one of the blades uncomfortably close to my cheek. I coughed, gagged, and fought to get away from the gore on top of me, spitting out more blood and scrambling to get away from the latest of the bodies as I felt my stomach lurch in protest of what had just happened.

"Shirou!" The blonde woman paused her attack to turn around toward me and the dead human, I could guess that he'd been her master. I was busy trying to wipe off my face, though my clothes hadn't really escaped unscathed and were seemingly just making more of a mess by the sticky thick feel. I dropped my bow in the exchange and could only stare at the lifeless eyes of the boy that had been stabbed so many times he was still hanging in the air on the weapons…

"And so, as I pray, unlimited blade works!" The silver haired spirit cried out, the world around us changing and warping at the energy the Servant was releasing. We weren't in the church anymore, we were in a strange sort of desert with large gears in the sky and blades littering the ground.

"A reality marble?" Giglamesh remarked, his voice closer to me again I realized. Tearing my eyes away from the gore of the dead human toward him. The air around us had released a loud hum but only after I looked did I realize it was because weapons were slamming into weapons in the air. Strange blue shimmering copies of the swords shot from new gates in the air were all seemingly canceling each other out. Gilgamesh really had to stop and explain how all of this worked a little sooner if he knew what it all meant… "?"

"Shirou…" The blonde woman was too close for my comfort, holding onto the boy that was very clearly dead. "…why aren't you regenerating?"

 _Do people normally regenerate from that? Is that a magus skill?_

"The mongrel won't, not today." Gilgamesh remarked, likely the calmest one in this utter chaos. I backed away more as explosions went off near me, the heat of them making my face feel as if it'd burned by proximity. While they were all fighting, I'd forgotten the other mortal girl, she'd thrown something at me and it had been blocked by Gilgamesh's swords, the entire room seemed filled with gold and blue lights while the Servants fought… "To think, I'd have to put in some effort for you…perhaps you've earned your place at the end of Ea after all."

"Archer…draw back…" The girls' voice shouted. It'd gotten to be where making out much of what was happening in the madness was impossible. Gilgamesh had covered me in a semi-circle of the gates. He was protecting me now? So his pledge had been serious…

"Enuma…Elish!" I heard the words and my hairs stood on end along my arms and neck. I had to shield my eyes at the illumination, even behind his makeshift shield it was blindingly bright. I could however, feel the destructive power even if I couldn't see it. The pull of nothingness that seemed to seep at my soul even though I wasn't even the target of the massive attack.

"Go, get out of here!" The voice was pained. It was the female spirit, she'd leapt into the path of the blast and she didn't look good at all, already her body was starting to fade away. I was surprised she'd done that well. So extreme was the change that it took another moment for me to recognize it shattered whatever strange dimensional power the Archer had used and now we were outside – or at least the building we'd been within was now leveled to the point that the church had become outdoors. I pulled up my bow, aiming it at the two left, wary after what the boy had done. Archer wasn't really in great shape, he'd been saved from the worst of it by the fading spirit but he was still bloody and one of his arms was missing from the elbow down with glimmers of red light curling up along his arm, as though ready to devour him.

Gilgamesh raised a hand, and another golden wall of light reached out around us for a distance that anyone in miles probably could have seen it. I raised a brow when the mortal girl jumped in front of her Servant and threw gemstones at us. The way they were deflected and exploded in the air I could only assume that it was what she'd thrown at me a moment ago.

"Stop, don't harm her…" I said, disheartened by the tears threatening in the girl's eyes. She was devastated by what had just happened and I didn't want another human to die. "There's been enough bloodshed for one day."

The scream from across the runes of the church told me he hadn't listened to my request. At first, I expected to see the girl dead but it was more swords sticking from her spirit that had prompted her to cry out. Her Servant was fading as quickly as the others had, he chuckled and they exchanged some words before the girl rounded on us, tears flying from her cheeks as she shot balls of dark light from her extended palm at me. One of Gilgamesh's seemingly endless blades deflected the attack and she shifted it to him but the energy didn't do more than push his hair to the side. A few more portals opened above the girl across from us.

"Gilgamesh!" I admonished, pushing him when I saw it. He blinked at me, frowning a bit before glancing around at the devastation he'd wrought. "I wasn't going to kill the girl. No reason to disrespect the final sacrifice of Saber."

Did he need a reason to spare someone?

"Stop! You can't just leave! I won't let you!" The girl hissed from her position, starting to run at us. She was still shooting magic at us despite having to know it wasn't doing anything. "You liars! Murderers!"

Chains caught her, dragging her into the air and forcing her hand open so more of her gems fell to the ground without exploding. Perhaps they had to be activated?

"Rin Tohsaka, do you know about the last grail war?" Gilgamesh walked away from me toward her and I followed on his heels.

"Gonna force me to hear more of your lies?" She hissed. I glanced nervously between them, and started to step between her and Gilgamesh but he set a hand on my shoulder. He shook his head with a regal composure that had a touch of melancholy in the polish. "Did the battle deafen you mongrel? I'm not going to harm her."

"Who are you?" Rin complained the question nearby, unable to struggle as much as Lancer did in the chains that held her, suspended in the air through a series of perfectly placed floating gates. I hated to admit there was beauty in the terrifying proficiency of Gilgamesh's skill.

"Gilgamesh, King of Heroes." He obliged the girl his name. "I was initially your father's servant in the previous grail war…before Kotomine killed him and took me for himself."

"What?" Rin stopped struggling to stare at Gilgamesh, her cheeks still moist with emotion. "Are you saying…?"

Her eyes went toward the dead priest then returned to my Servant. "That's why you took his arms. He was the master here whose Servant vanished before we arrived. He…killed my father? Why would you tell me?"

"If you come after me or this mongrel again, my mercy will reach an end." Gilgamesh remarked, not answering her question. He turned to me, looking at me critically. "You have a stench of blood that is unacceptable. If we are to have a contract you should carry yourself impeccably, come, let us remedy that."

I didn't get a chance to reply, or tell him no. The world was already fading into light. I didn't get to see what the girl's final expression was…but she hadn't looked as hateful after Gilgamesh had explained the past. He'd left out that he'd worked for Kotomine for years, but I suppose he had to if he wanted the girl to leave us alone. Some lies had a place and purpose…this certainly seemed one of those times.

"EEHYYAA…ga!" I let out a screech of shock and discomfort as freezing water hit me like a truck… …what the hell was he doing!?

 **End Chapter**

Servants are dropping like flies. Then, I personally couldn't see them lasting a super long time when one considers Gilgamesh approaching things seriously and wanting to end them quickly. Tried to end it on a less horrible note but to have bits of horror in there. Poor Kagome. Life is so busy with school but I'm trying to keep up with other stuff too – like fiction fun writing instead of boring homework writing when possible XD

 _-Aura_

To my reviewers:

Thanks for the continued support. Curious who else plays FGO and how that's going for you? I like it but it's a grindfest!

Sillvog – Gil doesn't do a great job impressing others in a positive way. Emiya Archer well…if he was confused it was short lived ./rimshot

GoldenKing – LOL it does, I also enjoy writing Gil as a semi-kind dick XD. He's more this way in Extella imo.


	8. Rubik's Cube

End of Last Chapter:

 _"EEHYYAA…ga!" I let out a screech of shock and discomfort as freezing water hit me like a truck… …what the hell was he doing!?_

 **Chapter Eight:** **_Rubik's Cube_**

 _"I'm like a kid who just won't let it go. Twisting and turning the colors in rows. I'm so intent to find out what it is. This is my Rubik's cube."_

 **-Athlete Lyrics,** ** _Rubik's Cube_**

 ** _Kagome_** **_– September 3_** ** _rd_** ** _– Early Morning/Sunrise –_**

I struggled to take my feet despite a heavy pressure pouring over my shoulders from above. The water was harsh and frigid and I was still coughing and sputtering as I stepped from the waterfall where we'd appeared. Him just transferring me was dizzying without the being relocated under a waterfall. I glared at Gilgamesh while I gasped for air, nearly slipping and falling again but as I floundered he caught my hand, steadying me. He was himself beneath the edge of the flowing water.

"What the hell is this?" I echoed my thoughts, shivering and rubbing my arms…noticing for the first time I lacked clothes and covering my chest as I ducked back into the water. "PERVERT!"

He laughed at my accusation, stepping out of the direct spray of the falls where he probably couldn't hear much and making me realize he didn't have clothes either. I turned away, suddenly much more interested in where we were. I didn't recognize the area, and other than some lights of a distant large city I saw no signs of civilization. It was slightly difficult to see but we'd been up so long now that the sun was starting to rise in the distance offering some view of our surroundings. "I believe you mean to give thanks. I brought you to bathe after finishing half of the, admittedly laughable, battles for the grail."

"NO, that's not what I'm talking about…why am I naked?" I hissed without turning around. "WHY ARE YOU?"

"Your other clothing was better not salvaged given its state. You'll still need to wash your hair some in your home but the waterfall has already cleansed the worst of the filth." He answered, still laughing at my distress. "After the minor drill, I wished to cleanse as well. The mongrels do love kicking up grime when they struggle."

…

Was he just being purposefully obtuse?

I barely had my chin sticking out of the water when I chanced glancing back at him, still trying to figure out how to protest how not okay what he just did was.

…but he wasn't looking at me, he was floating with his upper body on the surface of the water, thankfully the lower was out of sight so all I could see was his upper body. His eyes were closed and he seemed different. Happy, almost? I'd seen him smile often enough, but that was usually at my or another's expense and generally made me nervous. Now he was just, silently content…not quite how I felt after the day but it did help steady my nerves. As he wasn't peeping at me I could relax enough to rub at my arms and hair, wanting to get the blood out as much as I could…I'd give him the moment of solace and complain about his behavior later, once he'd taken me home.

Three Servants down…all in a single evening, with fewer causalities than there could have been given how destructive Gilgamesh's abilities were. I suppose not all Heroic Spirits were equal, thus far it was only the human threatening me that had even slowed Gilgamesh down. Perhaps I could have just ordered him to 'go win' and he would have done it. My presence had helped though, I'd stopped whatever attack the female Servant had been preparing. The way I'd once stopped Sesshomaru from using the Wind Scar on Inuyasha.

"So, ah…" I mumbled after finishing rinsing out my hair as best I could and hiding back near the water fall so Gilgamesh couldn't see anything if he looked at me. "Thanks for protecting me back there…but maybe don't kill humans anymore if you can help it? And can you take us back? I'm pretty cold and not very comfortable here…"

I couldn't keep up a normal conversation with him knowing we were both naked, regardless of what could or could not be seen it was the principle. I'd never thought I'd go skinny dipping with anyone, and it wasn't my definition of fun. It wasn't until he'd moved closer and I'd instinctively retreated further back that recognition entered his face.

"You're a virgin." He remarked, unabashed where I was left to stare at him in shock and further embarrassment at his blunt observation. Glancing away as he looked at me, he wasn't staring at my body but I wasn't too keen on this situation all the same.

"Th..there is nothing w. with that." I finally managed, sputtering as I spoke when he came closer, backing me into a part of the rocks so I couldn't just drift away from him anymore.

"I didn't say it was disagreeable." He answered, seeming to enjoy my unease. He reached up to push a few strands of wet hair from my face, though I'd of rather it stayed hidden. I swallowed nervously and glanced back to him, a little relieved he was looking at my eyes and not lower on my body. His expression wasn't lustful, the way I'd expected it to be. Outside of his frustrating enjoyment of my shyness he was curious as opposed to lecherous. "Yet, I must ask, what is so mortifying about nudity? In some individuals, a lack of clothing is a misfortunate but you don't have an unpleasant figure. You are descended from the goddess of beauty after all. While Ishtar is a hideous witch within her soul I must admit she has a divine body. You are also my contract in this world. You should stand proud of the form you possess, not shy backward like any average mutt whimpering in the gutters."

"It's a little embarrassing for any normal person to just wander about in their birthday suit." I muttered, aware of the blush on my face and my still uneven voice.

"The water is nice, a bit chill but refreshing after the battle. If you'd relax and let yourself enjoy it, but I get the feeling you have a habit of refusing yourself such simple pleasures in favor of fruitless shame." He commented, watching me in his superior amusement. I swallowed to banish the dryness that had entered my mouth as he kept my gaze. "Then, there is a certain allure to a woman of pure intent…"

My first assessment was wrong, he always wanted everything…and I had to be a part of that everything right? I glanced away before he did and he laughed at my bashfulness. "Fear not mongrel, as I previously told you…I am not interested in such pursuits with you. For as long as Ishtar has some hold at any rate."

"What did she do to you?" I asked, a bit less embarrassed since he straight up said he wasn't planning to try anything and seemed more content to be in the water than stare at me. "I mean, I get that you hate her and spout insults all the time…but she had to have actually done something to earn such animosity."

"She wished for me to bed her and I wouldn't. As a result, she sought to punish me." Gilgamesh answered, voice sourer than a moment ago.

"I didn't think you'd refuse to bed anyone." I muttered out before I thought about it.

He laughed, not taking the comment personally. "I am a creature of every imaginable pleasure, and I expect in your case many you couldn't conceive of. Ishtar has a long history of breaking her ex-lovers or somehow causing them harm. She did long before she came pawing at my feet and mewling piteously for attention. It seems regardless of if she is speared by a man her temporary attention is all that is required for her to try and ruin them."

"What did she do then? To punish you?" I asked, I was curious. The man who lounged here was often needlessly rude and prideful but the only thing I'd seen him boil over in rage about was this woman. I wasn't sure how anyone could really make him break that kingly composure, sure I hadn't known him long but I doubted he was this passionately hateful toward anyone else.

"She killed the only friend I've ever had." Gilgamesh replied, his voice tired in that short answer. "I should return you to your apartment, you'll catch a cold in this weather and it'll only slow down our efforts if you are coughing or sneezing too much to defend yourself."

I was about to protest, curious about this latest information…but we were already being swept away in a glimmer of gold. I gasped instead against the sudden chill of my bathroom where I was dripping on the frigid tile floor. I nearly fell over at the unexpected change of ground beneath my feet where I'd been floating a moment before, using his arm as leverage to catch myself. I opened my mouth to ask him about what he meant that she'd killed his only friend but couldn't quite get sound out. He was leaning closer to me, I thought he was about to kiss me but he moved past my face and I heard the shower spray on the ceramic tub a moment later.

"Get cleaned up, you'll need to rest before we begin to hunt the next targets." He remarked, leaving me shivering and naked in the bathroom. I swallowed after his swift exit, staring at the door a long moment before the cold heralded me into the warmer water. What was that? Did he know he was pushing my buttons?

The grail must have been broken to summon this guy, there wasn't a whole lot about him that seemed very heroic. I leaned into the water after checking the temp, glad it was warmer than the chill pool he had dropped me in. I closed my eyes to enjoy the spray and try to calm down. What was his issue anyway? Was he a nudist and hoping I would be too? I snapped my eyes open when an image of his chest and the tattoos there flickered into my mind. I hated to admit it, and I wouldn't tell him but his lack of humility was justified, he was very attractive.

Enough that I felt strange when he got close to me. I knew it was hormones, that it was just my body being beguiled by someone pretty. I wasn't interested in him on a deeper level, he and I had very different views of the world, he'd made that perfectly clear. That understanding didn't make me anymore comfortable to be around him, or change the fact that every time he invaded my space and got close it made my abdomen tighten and butterflies beat against my chest. At least I could solace myself in the fact that while he found me pretty, he had rejected the idea of being tempted by me from the beginning.

I guess there were perks to being descended from a slut goddess that had pissed him off.

I looked at my hand, eyeing the tattoo there as if it would give me answers. Why was this goddess helping me anyway? He said they wanted the grail destroyed, multiple gods not just Ishtar. I suppose I could understand that but he also seemed to believe my benefactor in this case was a blight on the world. If she had really killed someone close to him just because he wouldn't sleep with her then I suppose his hate was justified. I needed to learn more about it, I didn't like not knowing where I'd come from…I didn't like the idea that my powers had such a sinister source. So much had happened in so short a period.

I finished getting myself clean with soap this time, trying to ignore any streaks of red that showed up while I washed my hair. Then headed out to the main room, relieved that he had gone to the back yard so I could get dressed. I threw on a couple things and frowned at my rumbling stomach…I had not eaten enough lately. I looked at my clock. It was still early but I could order something. A nice thing about living in a downtown styled area was that I could order food at almost any hour of the day. I called and ordered some breakfast before resigning myself to apologize and heading into the backyard.

He was staring at the sunrise, which seemed to reflect from his hair, as if it were a part of the sun's rays. I glanced nervously around my small area, the grass had been torn up a little around the edge of my mostly washed out summoning circle that had started this mess. It must have rained that first day when I was unconscious. This place didn't fit him…my cheap apartment was likely nothing more than a slum to him.

"I uh, I'm sorry about your friend …" I commented quietly, a bit relieved he didn't turn to look at my apology. "I ordered us some breakfast, it should be here soon…."

He hadn't replied, and by the distant expression on his face I wasn't sure he'd heard me. I was curious what it was he was thinking about so seriously, but at the same time we wouldn't be together long…I probably shouldn't pry. I opened the door to move back inside when he spoke.

"My expectations are that you will remedy your insecure behavior as one tied to me, however temporarily. I will otherwise need to find ways to boost your confidence." He remarked, whatever distant thought or memory he'd been considering gone now that he was mocking me again.

"Uh, I don't think we need that." I answered. I was sure whatever his methods for that task would be horrible. I sat on the couch, frowning when he sat next to me when there was more room. Personal bubbles weren't his thing…

"No? I'd say it would improve you, getting a bit more of a backbone." He turned slightly in his seat, looking at me.

"I am brave enough." I retorted, frowning at him. It was clear he still didn't really want to talk about this friend of his so he was deflecting but I let him all the same, irritated by his attitude. "I saved you from whatever attack that female spirit had planned, didn't I? I just don't want to wander around naked like a pervert."

"Oh?" His lip twitched upward at my comments. "Perhaps you are right, you are cocky to believe you rescued me. Still, you did alleviate a mild inconvenience so I'll acquiesce to your pointless sensitivity on the subject."

"Good, thank you." I was happy he was letting it go, even if it was rudely I'd take it at this point. At least I wouldn't have to give him some sort of command to stop taking my clothes off. "I have to ask you, how does your power work? It seems a bit…overbalanced compared to the others, at least from what I've seen."

I supposed that the one spirit had been able to create dozens of blades as well but it hadn't saved him in the end. I didn't know what the girl had been capable of, I'd interrupted it on a hunch, from his description it didn't mean much.

"My Gate of Babylon? It allows me to draw any item from my endless vault of treasures. Every artifact of value ever crafted by mankind is something I possess and therefore something I can call. Any weapon another spirit may draw as a noble phantasm is often no more than a lesser copy of my originals." He didn't seem to mind indulging my curiosity.

"So…you can just pull out anything? Not just weapons?" I asked curiously.

"Yes, I have countless items, I lost track of all within my vaults long ago. In most case I only shoot those weapons I am willing to cast aside at my enemies. A few prove worthy of my more unique treasures, Ea is one of those." He answered, having a conversation like a semi-normal person.

"The sword you had before…that you used on the woman." I sought confirmation and he nodded to my comments.

"Yes, it is something that no human could ever replicate, born during the age of gods. Ea is something I prefer to reserve for serious enemies as few are worthy of her. However, I want this war finished swiftly and using her accomplishes that." He answered, his face darkening a bit as he spoke.

"Why are you in such a hurry? I mean…I know you aren't too happy but wouldn't it be wiser to approach things carefully?" I said, a bit concerned he still planned to kill me even if he seemed to have accepted my apologies.

"You need not be concerned. It is your ancestor I will slay, not you." He remarked, picking up on my nervousness. "I would think you would want this finished, your mundane dull life suffers while I am here."

"Do you have to describe it like that? You know you'd be a lot more likable if you just left out a few insulting adjectives at least every other sentence or so." I replied, frowning at him. "I mean…yes, you being here does sort of turn my usual routine upside down…but, I'm glad I'm able to help. I'll take whatever consequences go along with that."

"I see, you sound resigned, you said you've been through this before. I expect there is a story that goes along with that." He commented.

"Yes." I nodded then looked to the door when the bell rang. I grabbed my wallet and headed toward the door. "I will explain as best I can over breakfast, it is a long story though."

"You wished for time." Gilgamesh answered, as though the length of my story wasn't important. I nodded, opening the door and paying. I set up the containers for us on my table and considered carefully a short while before launching into my story.

 **End Chapter**

Look at Gil being all…kind of nice…Gil nice (I almost used Chester See's 'Nice Guys Finish Last' for my opening lyrics)…Gil niceness has its own level all his own I think. Kagome always gets into such trouble when I write with her. School has been destroying me. I apologize for the slow. Next chapter will get a bit sadder before it picks up with more Gil being a murder hobo.

 _-Aura_

To my reviewers:

Thanks for all the kind words and continuing to follow me even if you are unhappy I killed off a fav last chapter. I felt it best showed Gilgamesh being serious to just pwn everyone and teleport off like: I'm out mongrels.

 _GoldenKing_ – I am not much of a Shirou fan, I will almost always choose to kill him. XD

 _Amerdism_ – I thought it was a good way to have Kagome have a natural connection to Gil to have used as a catalyst.


	9. The Reason

End of Chapter Eight:

"You wished for time." Gilgamesh answered, as though the length of my story wasn't important. I nodded, opening the door and paying. I set up the containers for us on my table and considered carefully a short while before launching into my story.

 **Chapter Nine:** **The Reason**

 _"I'm sorry that I hurt you. It's something I must live with every day. And all the pain I put you through, I wish that I could take it all away. And be the one that catches all your tears…"_

 **-Hoobastank,** ** _The Reason_**

 ** _Gilgamesh – September 3_** ** _rd_** ** _– Around Noon –_**

Her story lasted well after the meager food she offered. I'd offered to let her go on so I listened but at least the tale was unique. I hadn't heard one exactly like it before, and I'd heard many things in my time. I had no reason to doubt her, and she didn't seem insane. She did possess some manner of abilities and if anyone could have traveled through a portal reaching across time then it was a descendant of a god. She was so excited by the chance to offer her story that her voice was growing hoarse by the time she finished it.

I spent the time observing her. The lack of Ishtar in her personality was surprising and unexpected. She was caring, empathetic to others, brave, loyal by the way her voice still hurt when she spoke of her lost friends, all her most obvious qualities were completely at odds despite the unrighteous source of her divine power. Telling her tale was obviously good for her and I believed her despite details any other mortal would have had her committed for. She went into detail most mortals would pass over and she had a strength of emotion that told me her story was an honest one. I doubted she'd ever told any other person in this world…

Eventually she finished it, moving through the end more quickly than the rest. It was still hard for her despite years since she'd been locked here in this time. I let her go to bed after she'd finished the story and stood in her front yard against a stone fence to consider her story. She'd wished this jewel, another wishing device, out of existence with the wish it offered, and she hoped to do the same to the grail. It was a logical enough assumption and given the way she is backed by the pantheon I expect they think it'll work. Amusing, all that effort poured into forcing Saber to destroy the grail and all the while they simply needed someone to wish it away if they wanted it gone. Humans really were fools, setting up such pointless outs for their designs. If the magus group that created the grail even realized that the out existed, they probably didn't think any human capable of such selflessness given their own natures in crafting such a device.

I frowned when I heard the door open, my skin crawling a bit with the presence. Without turning to look I knew it wasn't my humble hostess. She had no reason to have gotten up and followed me out here. She was likely absolutely exhausted given I had drawn much mana from her to finish the two Servant's earlier.

"You should let the girl rest." I remarked, not turning around.

"Oh, I didn't know you cared about the mortal already." Kagome's voice was there but beneath the surface, distorted and covered up by Ishtar's presence. I didn't turn to her when she came up to lean on the wall next to me. I knew she was watching me but the sky was far prettier a picture than she was. I didn't want to see the witch when I still couldn't do anything about her. I'd get there soon enough, I could be patient when the situation required it. Anticipation would make the pay off all the better when I watched the light fade from her eyes. "You wish for me to aid the mongrel, she'll need the sleep to keep up."

"I wouldn't think you'd want her to keep up. She was quite disturbed by your murders today…how many creatures did you finish off? Two Servants yes, but you killed two people as well. It bothers her. Your actions are revolting to her, she's glad you don't want to touch her." Ishtar remarked, laughing when I withdrew from her fingers brushing my shoulder.

"Revolting is your presence and ability to touch me without immediate consequence. Kagome's misgivings mean little as she's still accepted what needs to be done. If she thought otherwise she would have already spoken such." I retorted, my face curled into a disgusted grimace at Ishtar pressing forward and running her hands along my jacket as though straightening it.

"Such harsh words, for all your protests you did admit that I am beautiful to you. I heard you." Ishtar stated, leaning up to kiss my chin and grinning at the glare I offered her for the trespass. "For all your protests, there is one thing I recognize in any man. You desire her."

"I desire everything Ishtar, did you work hard to make such a guess? Of course, you were always the exception. You are the ugliest creature to have ever touched either the material or spiritual worlds. You might have a thin veneer that is atheistically gifted but you are rotten beneath the skin and I knew that from the first moment you offered yourself. You are only bitter I recognized the truth." I returned, meeting her challenging gaze even if my skin crawled at her proximity. I smirked back at her when her eyes narrowed, when the angry glint of me hitting my target appeared. "This song and dance of yours is quite unoriginal, you are starting to bore me."

"Do you think so?" She hissed, making it obvious I'd gotten under her skin. "Well, we will see who laughs last worthless half-breed. You think you can speak so freely to me without suffering for it? I will tear your world apart just when you think you finally understand it."

I laughed at her threats. "I am quivering in abject terror."

"You will soon enough, just as you'll finally be mine." She retorted, pulling herself up to press her lips into mine. I reached up to grab her arms, ready to toss her aside before the body went limp. I held the girl who was unaware of the visitor aloft, frowning at having to touch her. Ugh. It wouldn't help this move faster if I left her outside. With a sigh, I tossed her over a shoulder to return her to the bed.

Better she rests now, I'll end the war tomorrow if the Servants are fool enough to be found.

 ** _Kagome_** \- **_September 4_** ** _th_** ** _– Early Morning –_**

 ** _"Enkidu!"_** The voice was familiar. My wayward Servant…but the word wasn't. Was he speaking in another language? It wasn't easy to make out, the world was dark and I was very tired, too tired to open my eyes despite the insistence in his tone. **_"Enkidu!"_**

What did that mean?

 ** _'Wake up?'_**

I was cold too, too cold and exhausted to oblige his strange demands. I didn't have much reason to listen. Gilgamesh was always over the top about everything. He probably just wanted me to make him lunch or entertain him, didn't he realize I needed to sleep? I was drifting closer to the tempting precipice of unconsciousness when I heard the sob, an alien sound - given the source. My body was shuddering but not because I was being shaken, but because the hands holding me were. A wave of concern washed over me, I wanted to open my eyes, but I couldn't. I felt moisture hit my face, if it hadn't been for the continued sounds of broken crying I'd have mistaken the tears at first for a light rain…

 ** _"…please…"_**

The pained whisper got me to open my eyes, but the world spun a little as I did…my mind reeling at somehow being multiple places at once. Not only was I not being held, but Gilgamesh was neither near me or even looking at me. It felt wrong, as if he'd just been here…as if my cheeks were still moist and the taste of salt lingered on my lips. Yet, he was nowhere nearby. He was watching the television and if he had noticed my return to consciousness he had nothing to say about it. I closed my eyes but that didn't help me rest. All I could recall was the last pleading word of that strange dream…it echoed still in my head.

A desperate hope being smothered by the understanding of a wish that would never be fulfilled, an immutable loss that seemed infinite despite being summed into one syllable: **_"…please…"_**

I didn't know exactly what had happened, but I knew that it was something important, something that had shook my golden 'hero' beyond anything I'd ever seen. Beyond anything I'd want to witness… I wiped at my eyes, hoping he wouldn't notice that the bizarre 'vision' had brought me to tears. I didn't know what to think of It, what had just happened? I didn't think it was just my subconscious…it felt too real for that…had I experienced some part of his life or memory?

"You should get prepared as we have a war to finish." Gilgamesh's voice was normal again. Gone was the emotional pleading of my mind, a flight of fancy when compared to the rigid assurance he showed now, that he'd always shown me. "One less combatant today."

"What do you mean?" I stretched, ignoring his implication I should hop right up and do his bidding in favor of lounging a minute. I just hoped either he hadn't seen me crying or didn't plan to comment on it.

"Another of the Servants passed on while you were resting." He answered, eyes never leaving the game show. "Berserker by the feel of it, I'd say it was probably Caster that finished it, though I can't be certain I have a better idea of where to look for them."

"So, there are only three left now?" I asked, still trying to keep up with everything I'd learned in a fleeting period.

"Yes, Rider, Assassin, and Caster." Gilgamesh confirmed. "Caster has given away her position so I'll be able to finish them. The other two may take more digging but it's all a matter of time."

As confident as ever, there wasn't a shred of the sorrow that had infused the words still echoing in my head. I thought about trying to sleep more, I felt exhausted…but even closing my eyes brought back that whisper.

 ** _"Wake up…please…"_**

I pushed myself up to sit on the edge of the bed, considering his laissez-faire attitude despite his suggestion that I rush. "Who is Enkidu?"

The way his eyes shot to me at the question told me my dream had to have been real, there was honest surprise on his face for a moment at my query. Then his expression schooled and he returned his attention to the woman bouncing off a large red ball and falling into the water below the gauntlet she'd been trying to run on the tv. "Where did you hear that name?"

"I had a sort of dream." I answered. "It wasn't much of one, I couldn't really see anything, but I heard the name…from your voice."

"It is a known phenomenon, masters occasionally seeing aspects of the life of the spirit they are connected to." He stated, as if unconcerned. "You'll likely see and hear more before our contract reaches an end."

"He was your friend." I realized it aloud as I said the words. Gilgamesh said Ishtar had murdered his only friend…it had to be this person. I couldn't imagine him showing raw grief for anyone else. That was why he was so focused, why he seemed to have almost a tunnel vision for these battles. The melancholy in that word still bouncing around in my head had transformed to malevolence…all that pain and he planned to reflect it on the person that had caused it. "Vengeance won't bring them back."

"All the same, I'll see her dead." Gilgamesh replied, shrugging off my last remark. "Do you plan to squander my time failing to convince me of the error of my ways?"

"No." I shook my head. "I don't know enough to speak on it, if she is all you say then it's not for me to judge."

Gilgamesh smiled slowly at my words, as if somehow appreciative. "Good, find something to eat and finish preparing. We have a Caster to kill."

 **End Chapter**

I feel bad for Gilgamesh really, he's got a pretty shitty past and he is a hero. Sure, he's got the personality of a jackass but he means well generally. It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to do the part with Kagome 'seeing' parts of Gilgamesh's past and I thought just hearing and feeling was somehow better than seeing.

-Aura

P.S. I'm alive. Been pretty busy with my Gotham fic but I haven't forgotten our golden king of heroes!

To my reviewers:

 _Animagirl_ – Unless there is some sort of really odd circumstance, I can't see Kagome really throwing herself at anyone…

 _Amerdism_ – Kagome still has some of her priestess abilities, I sort of assumed those were her watered down abilities from being descended from Ishtar. I usually don't go for high powered Kagome in my fics, but sometimes I do. Sort of what I feel works for the plot in question. In this case Servants are supposed to be sort of the powerhouses.


	10. Firestarter

End of Chapter Nine:

Gilgamesh smiled slowly at my words, as if somehow appreciative. "Good, find something to eat and finish preparing. We have a Caster to kill."

 **Chapter Ten:** **_Firestarter_**

 _"I'm the trouble starter, punkin' instigator. I'm the fear addicted, danger illustrated. I'm a firestarter, twisted firestarter."_

 **-The Prodigy,** ** _Firestarter Lyrics_**

 ** _Gilgamesh – September 4_** ** _th_** ** _– Morning –_**

I hadn't expected that she would start to see anything so swiftly into our time together. Kirei had never seen my past at all even after years of our partnership. Tohsaka? Well, we'd never resonated well to begin with, but he'd been killed long before he would have started to see my past. Yet, Kagome had pressed past them both in a matter of days. There was the fact that she had more energy than either of my previous mana batteries…but she also possessed divine blood. I didn't appreciate her catalyst but it was undoubtedly stronger than the others had been.

I didn't like that she'd seen something of Enkidu…that made me wonder if Ishtar wasn't somehow involved in the vision. I had no way of asking and I certainly never planned to call her out so instead I had to consider finishing her sooner. I waited for the girl, who at least was wise enough not to continue to press as she dressed and ate. Must the mongrels be so sluggish? It was nearly another hour before we could leave. I had to admit I was amused at the amount of magic I'd felt at the old church throughout the day. The mages guild was up in arms over the murder and disappearance of several magi, some not even on their rosters…once they found more of the truth they would probably be even more confused and possibly aggressive but I wasn't concerned.

"There. Ready to go." The mongrel announced having finished washing the bowl she'd used for the slop she'd shoveled in for her meal.

"You should eat better." I remarked. "I have to draw on your energy to act, it's a wonder you remained conscious after I used Ea, if you eat so poorly you certainly won't last as my mana battery through difficult battles."

"That could have been nice, but was just selfish." Kagome pointed out, frowning at my comments. I didn't deign to reply to her, the lack of appreciation was a sign she was either still quite exhausted or that Ishtar's personality was rubbing off. I chose to hope for the former and moved outside toward the vehicle I'd summoned earlier. She moved swiftly in front of me before I could open the door, her face scrunched up in distaste.

"You can't just take someone's car." She hissed at me in a faint voice. Glancing around and certainly there were mortals about watching us. The car certainly didn't belong here, it was far too poor a neighborhood and that attracted attention I imagined she didn't want. "Where did you even get this?"

"It's mine." I remarked, watching her display of worthless protest quietly turn to surprise. "I told you before I held every treasure of mankind and it shocks you that I possess a car?"

"I…uh…" She glanced at the car, to me, then back to people watching us and whispering around us before dropping her head a bit. "Fine, fine, let's just go. Everyone is watching."

"Mongrels often enjoy observing their betters." I remarked, opening the door for her and then walking around to the driver's side, smirking at the whispers of the neighbors.

"God…people are gonna think the worst…" Kagome moaned from where she'd slunk down in her seat so she wouldn't be as easily seen. Another fruitless act given how tinted the windows were.

"It doesn't matter. Whatever various stories they are coming up with, not one of them could fathom a tiny bit of truth." I shrugged at her embarrassment. "You concern yourself far too much with what others think of you."

"You don't concern yourself enough with it." She remarked and I laughed.

"No. I do not." I assured, pulling onto the road. "There is no purpose in it."

"I think it might help you to sometimes think about what other people might be thinking or feeling instead of just walking all over them." She was attempting to convince me in a diplomatic way and I chuckled at her barely concealed distaste for my behavior. I had to admit, her challenging attitude reminded me of my now lost bride…a pity but required for a greater cause. In Kagome's case she was tempered just enough by wisdom that she could recognize and pause when she truly annoyed me. No queen of the people by any means but an interesting conquest should I get her free of the parasite.

"The only opinions I need glance at are at those that interest me or those possessed by people that don't allow themselves to be tread upon." I replied, taking a turn in the road toward our destination. "Anyone else's thoughts mean nothing. When they're so easily pushed aside that is all they will amount to."

She rubbed her temples, a sign I was bothering her without her directly pointing it out. I chuckled at her distress. "You dwell too much on what cannot be changed, just relax. This will be over soon and you can return to the mundane life you adore."

"You don't worry enough about possibilities." She returned, though she was just talking in circles now. Women tended to do that when logic failed them, which was more often than most were willing, or possibly able, to admit. I didn't speak on it, I'd spoken what I would on the topic unless she had a new point to make. Her barking would have been more annoying, but it was still preferable to the incessant high-pitched whining of the parasite she was host to.

I could tolerate her crying out for the time being, after all she was just a child fighting for some control after being thrust into a storm of chaos, she couldn't really be blamed for the circumstances of her birth. That I knew very well…and the puppeteer was the one I'd save my animosity for.

 ** _Kagome – September 4_** ** _th_** ** _– Afternoon –_**

I felt like I was watching one of the old cartoons, where one person spoke, and the words went into the other person's ear and then came out the other. Were all gods this incapable of listening to a point? He was only half, the full ones must all be as awful as he claims Ishtar to be. No wonder he wanted to kill her, I was pretty much on the side of killing him at this point. I knew I couldn't…or at least I really hoped I'd made the right choice in backing him for this gambit.

He sat there, all but pointedly NOT listening to what I was trying to say while he drove the car. It was a bizarre thing, watching how naturally he piloted the automobile as if he weren't some spirit from a bygone age.

"So…you're a king from Babylon, but you know how to drive a car?" I asked instead. It was clear trying to make him act like a better person wasn't going to work so I might as well indulge other curiosities.

"Servants are capable of any skills their masters may need of them." He replied. "Though, I learned to drive outside of that during my time on earth."

"And, you have a car in this weird vault of yours." I still didn't totally understand that. "If you have stuff from my time, do you have stuff from the future?"

"I have all manner of treasures, several I'm sure you couldn't fathom." He answered, his eyes still on the road as he wove through traffic seemingly effortlessly. I had to hope a cop wouldn't spot us, I knew without looking that he was speeding. "You should be grateful I'm willing to utilize what is mine for your sake."

"It's not really for my sake, or I would be." I answered, glancing outside. I was past annoyed with his attitude. "You're only doing this, so you can kill this thing that possessed me. It's not for me at all."

"If you must constantly bristle at any compliment from now on we'll simply transport." He remarked, he didn't sound quite as amiable as when we'd first gotten in the car, but he still wasn't quite angry either. Had he really been doing this for my sake? Whenever he just picked me up and dropped me somewhere I was always disoriented and felt a little sick. Was this his way of being nice? He had an odd method of showing it…then, just maybe, there was hope for him to be more than the single dimension I'd seen.

"Thank you." I remarked quietly, still a bit frustrated with him but appreciative at the idea he'd thought of me at all. He didn't answer, and I was a little nervous to glance at him. It was strange being near with anyone like this after years of having separated myself. I could hear my friends telling me how silly it was for me to be all alone. They'd wanted me to get back out several times. If they saw me like this, they'd feel like I was dating. A bad boy again by their estimation, not that I could argue with that observation. Still, I wasn't looking for that sort of a connection, I'd never gotten over Inuyasha…and Gilgamesh didn't hold a candle to a real hero.

"Here." He had come to a pause, we were a bit toward the edges of the city. There were more trees here. I realized there was a large shrine nearby with lots of land, that's what he was looking at. The Servants were lingering at a shrine? I suppose he had mentioned going after the Caster class. Did the types need some sort of place? I didn't think so from our other experiences but maybe they felt more at home there. "There were a few here yesterday but it's hard to make out their presence now, perhaps Assassin is working with Caster, at the very least there is some sort of aura here that isn't normal."

"Can they do that? Work together?" I asked. I had assumed since everyone was wanting to be the last man standing that none of them would or could work together.

"The Servants are generally expected to do whatever they are asked by their masters, within reason." Gilgamesh answered me still looking at the shrine. "It is not unheard of for Servant's to work together until they're the last ones standing then turn on each other."

A horrible concept. Why bother working with each other if you just must then betray each other…I guess he was right that I wasn't really built for this. I followed him out of the car after grabbing my bow from the backseat. He moved to the front of the shrine, staring at the grounds. It felt…off…like things were just too quiet. Not a peaceful silence, but an unsettling one. I didn't hear birds or insects, and the air even just was uncomfortable.

"There's something wrong here…" I remarked quietly, rubbing my arms. "It's not natural here. Are you sure this isn't a trap?"

He didn't argue with my assessment, but looked far less concerned than I felt. Smirking at my final question. "A trap implies their ability to hold their prey, they lack knowledge of what they're up against."

"That's not a no." I pointed out, watching him with a frown when he picked up my arm. He looked at the small bracelet he'd given me and held his hands over it. He mumbled something in a language that wasn't Japanese and the small gem began to glow. I blinked at it then looked at him curiously.

"It'll keep you more secure. Try not to draw attention to yourself or it'll stop working as well." He explained all I could expect from him since he then turned and started up the stairs. I scurried after him. Did he really have to just ignore my concern? I got that he was strong, but we didn't really know what we were up against either. I held my bow close as we walked, pulling an arrow. I didn't like it here, I couldn't see any corruption, but it felt as though it was defiled somehow all the same.

"There." I remarked, backing a step as Gilgamesh summoned his armor around him. He'd noticed as well, a man coming to the stop of the steps. Not really a man, but a male Servant. Long dark blue hair was around traditional garb. A warrior by the look of the sword he drew.

"We aren't supposed to fight during the day." He commented, looking over and not even glancing at me. "Wouldn't it be easier to come back later?"

A few blades slammed into the steps where he'd been standing from behind him, forcing the blue haired creature to walk several steps toward us. He was nearly taken off his feet and was left with one knee on the ground to avoid the attacks. His gaze narrowed on Gilgamesh, who looked quite pleased…I suppose that was all the diplomacy my Servant was going to muster. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose as the battle started.

 ** _Gilgamesh – September 4_** ** _th_** ** _– Afternoon –_**

I didn't budge after starting the battle. I didn't have to raise a finger to deflect a swordsman when I didn't desire it, my gates could do that without me touching a weapon. Any angle at which Assassin tried to get in was halted by my own blades, deflected by the endless treasures at my command. I didn't have to raise a hand to defend myself or the girl still standing behind me staring curiously at my mid-air parries.

Kagome was suitably impressed by my skill, though I had to admit the creature before us was gifted enough. He was still attempting to attack while deflecting several projectiles himself. The sky was alight with gold portals and shimmering dust where my treasures vanished after being used. Had she been under the impression that I could only call them from a single angle? I had to admit, I had missed having masters that were of the proper mindset when it came to my skill. Her quiet admiration was a entertainment I'd long been denied in my summoners.

There was another here however, I could sense something in the forest. At first, I thought it must be Caster but as the first few blows turned into dozens I began to doubt that. Assassin had dozens of cuts, and while there had been no blows that were final it was clearly a matter of time before he wore down. I was more curious what a secondary opponent would do once I finished off this one. Perhaps they would be less dull than this battle was turning out to be, but more than likely it would be the same.

"Come out then, it is unworthy of a Hero to just watch from the shadows." I called, amused at the slight surprise that came to my current opponent's face. Not on the same side then? I let my attacks wane a moment as the swordsman jumped back, facing the new lavender haired woman that walked onto the path above us. Fools always seemed to think it was their place to look down on me, but she would be cut down, same as the rest.

"You should not be battling now." The woman said in a soft tone. "It is against our way, we battle at night to avoid witnesses. What if humans see you?"

"Our way…" I laughed at her absurd remark. Had they not noticed the spell over these grounds? Or were they simply playing innocent? I suppose it made little difference, the end result would be the same. It was almost always the same.

"I have already told him, he is beyond reason." The swordsman commented.

"I don't like working with other Servants, but we should fell him together." The woman remarked. "He breaks the rules of the grail war."

"What say you strange gold one?" The swordsman asked. "Will you back down and return later?"

I laughed at them, more gold portals appearing around us that shot at them both. "Do you think such an idea is a threat? Where is Caster? Why not have them come as well? The two of you aren't going to be enough. Perhaps I won't be bored if I take on three at once this time."

"You are the one that removed Archer, Saber, and Lancer." The girl commented, holding a strange long nail sort of weapon in one hand that had a chain attached to it. Her hair was quite long, and waved in a wind that wasn't there…she could control it to a degree. Interesting. Her face was covered…

"Medusa." I commented, amused at the surprised from them both. "You I recognize, but this one…he doesn't even have a legend worth knowing I expect. Still, if you both come at once, perhaps you'll be able to draw blood before I finish you."

"Girl, this is your Servant. Can you not command him to follow the proper protocols?" Medusa called out toward Kagome. I narrowed my eyes at the implication, raising my hand for the first time to draw one of my myriad treasures. Before, I found my lack of movement amusing. If she thought that I was some creature beneath another…I wouldn't mind cutting into her with my own hands.

 **End Chapter**

Poor Kagome aha, Gil is such an instigator. Thanks for the corrections on my misspelling. Went back and fixed it. I am moving things along. To explain Kagome seeing by Enkidu and not Gil's perspective, that's the way it happened in the one game where you can get Gil as a Servant (too bad they've never made any official translation). Trying to stick to what I know of canon where possible.

 _-Aura_

To my reviewers:

 _Storyteller_ – Yes, Ishtar is a bitch.

 _First Hero_ – I have a number of reasons. He's more tolerable in the novel but…I just have a hard time getting past his plot armor in the show.


	11. Hallelujah

End of Chapter Ten:

A few blades slammed into the steps where he'd been standing, forcing the blue haired creature to back up several steps, his eyes narrowing at the attack. That was about as diplomatic an answer as I suppose I could expect from Gilgamesh. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose as the battle started.

 **Chapter Eleven:** **_Hallelujah_**

 _"She tied you to a kitchen chair, she broke your throne and she cut your hair, and from your lips she drew the Hallelujah."_

 **-Jeff Buckley, _Hallelujah_ Lyrics**

 ** _Kagome – September 4th – Afternoon –_**

"Girl, this is your Servant. Can you not command him to follow the proper protocols?" The one he called Medusa yelled at me.

 _"Does it look like I can control him lady?"_

He'd told me not to draw attention to myself, and I hadn't. Though that had been as much out of awe as intent. Gilgamesh was too impressive not to stare at when he fought. His ability was horrifically precise and yet there was a beauty to it I couldn't deny. I hadn't thought much of the swordsman not paying attention to me, but he continued to look around searchingly after the female Servant called Medusa had called out to me. Could he not see me for some reason? The bracelet?

I glanced at it, it looked frail and thin, the gem still had a small glow to it but overall it seemed quite tiny for something capable of hiding me even from one Servant's view. Was this part of what he'd meant by using his treasures for my sake? I glanced back to Gilgamesh, but he seemed to have even more bloodlust than before. When the girl had called him my Servant he'd drawn a weapon with his hand for the first time today.

Peaceful resolution didn't seem very likely. I suppose it was a bit rude not to follow the rules of not fighting in the day, but Gilgamesh wasn't a liar. If he said no mortals could see us, I believed him. If they could he probably would have just said something like: 'the fates of such peasantry matter not'. Even if other people could see us…I'd already seen more than most during this war despite how little I knew about the history. Everyone seemed to be cheating and I had little reason to play along when no one else really was. Far as I knew, either of these Servants could also be just biding time. I wasn't going to spend any of my seals to tell him to wait.

I had questions certainly, things I would like to ask…but I hesitated instead of calling out. He'd told me not to draw attention to myself. I could now see why. Perhaps the lavender haired girl could see me, but the swordsman still didn't seem able to. He was still looking around searchingly. Where were their masters?

How far a Servant could really go from their 'mana battery'? Were they just somewhere safe watching us? That didn't seem likely, there weren't really camera's near here to do that easily. Gilgamesh had already stated that Caster could see others from a distance. I guessed other mages could do that sort of thing too. I mostly didn't want to see them killed, I'd rather keep anymore human deaths to a minimum. Not that I had much say, the din of battle returned as both came at him at once.

Most of their movement was too fast for me to follow, the swordsman had been nothing more than streaks of light and sound during their first interaction and now didn't seem that different. I could sometimes see blocked strikes, but I expect for each I witnessed there were probably several I missed. It seemed just as true for the strange woman, who seemed to be attacking with chains and hair…but she wasn't making anymore progress than the first attacker.

Gilgamesh leapt forward after a moment of this, his sword slicing close enough to Medusa's face to cut a substantial portion of her hair near the roots, he laughed as she scrambled backward, sending enough blades at the swordsman to keep him forced back.

"This is all the grand monster can do?" He mocked, grinning at the grimace that came to Medusa's face. He was playing with them, the way a cat might bat around a mouse for a while before killing it.

"Swallow Reversal." The man cried out, which forced Gilgamesh to take several steps back, parts of his armor falling away where it had been cut. He looked at his shoulder, then up at the pair, several more blades slamming the ground between them to push them back before they could press the moment of advantage. He wasn't being as serious as before, but why? Why toy with them and not the others?

I blinked curiously at him. He wanted to draw out Caster. He wasn't concerned about fighting three at once, he'd stated himself it would be better if they called her. He wanted to finish this all at once, he hadn't been joking about that. What had I summoned into the world that could toy so readily with such warriors, with legends of their own right. Gilgamesh may as well have summoned a tornado of weaponry, all moving at his command, but once he shot the weapons he seemed to lack as much control and a near hit knocked off Medusa's mask. My heart felt heavy suddenly, as if beating was difficult…everything felt heavy. This creature's eyes may as well have doused me in cement. I couldn't even cry out to Gilgamesh, or speak at all. The air seemed to have been pulled from my lungs.

At the very least he seemed to notice, drawing back to me when I wavered and fell to my knees. I heard the block of a strike behind me but couldn't turn to look. What had she done? Was I going to turn to stone? Her name was Medusa…

"Stabbing my Master in the back, and you all speak of following rules…" Gilgamesh's tone wasn't the light amusement it had been. It was malevolent, and I knew before he'd finished his sentence there was a judgment and punishment being executed in his voice. Whatever they'd tried to do, he had reached the end of his games. The mouse wasn't entertaining anymore…I knew what would come next. I closed my eyes, as much from personal exhaustion and this strange feeling of heaviness, as a lack of desire to see what I knew would come next. Perhaps Servant's weren't real, but I didn't want to see them hacked apart all the same…

"Now now, no reason to be so aggressive. You can all stop fighting." It was a second female voice, one that seemed familiar, but I couldn't place. "What is your name golden warrior?"

The din of swords flying through the air, being defected, or hitting the ground stopped. I peeked an eye open, turning around to see a blade against my arm where my seals were. It was a strange multicolored dagger bent at an odd angel, the coloring looked like the thin spectrum at the top of oil. Not any sort of weapon for fighting, but all the same it had brought this battle to an instant pause. I felt it somehow draining my energy…draining the energy around the seals on my arm…one of them had already disappeared and another was fading. What was this?

"What are you doing? How are you doing this?" I hissed, watching fearfully as the tattoo that helped keep me safe continued to drain away. I wanted to move, but I still felt too heavy…whatever Medusa had done I couldn't bring my body to move.

 _"Pull away…"_

A voice in the back of my mind forced me to keep my consciousness. I had been on the edge of falling asleep. I didn't have a lot of energy in the first place…what was I going to do? Pull away? How? I couldn't even move.

"I knew that there was something interesting going on, but I didn't expect the King of Babylon to show up. There was already an Archer in this war, were you summoned as another class?" The woman addressed Gilgamesh, not me. I was as much nothing to her as the rest of these people. How though, was she holding him back? Was it the seals she was stealing?

 _"You give up too easily…would you see this creature destroy the world you've fought to protect?"_

The image of a different world flickered through my mind, and it wasn't a pleasant thought. The world was on fire, full of despair, darkness…it was brief, and more a lingering feeling than a clear picture but it was haunting all the same. Was that what this girl wanted? Or is that what would come to pass if I didn't help rid the world of the grail?

"This won't last," Gilgamesh remarked, and I could hear the burning hate in his voice. The righteous indignation of being forced to act against his will. He did really have deep seated issues with being controlled. Though I guess anyone should. "You think your tricks can hold me forever witch?"

 _"You have to stop her."_

This time the voice sounded slightly different, it wasn't the same…and yet it was still impossible to make out other details. What did it want me to do? I wanted to move, but my body wasn't working. How was I supposed to do anything? Wasn't the point of this war that I relied on my Servant to help? What was I supposed to do against a witch?

"No, but once I have the seals, I can command you to kill your master and then yourself." The woman answered with a shrug. "I'll win the grail all the same."

I heard her, and I quietly hated her, but my mind was tired. My soul was tired…how much fighting did one have to do before the world was too much? Before they deserved a moment to close their eyes and leave the battle to someone else?

 _"Wake up…please…"_

The memory was haunting. I didn't want to see it, to feel the cold that started to slip over me or the not rain that was tracing its way over my cheeks. Whatever dark past was there, I didn't want it, I had enough of my own…

I wrenched my hand away from the woman with a flash of light. She was dressed in a cloak with a deep cowl but I saw the annoyed surprise on her face as I tore myself out of her grip. She wasn't expecting me to be able to move after whatever Medusa had done.

"Gilgamesh…" I breathed out the name, not certain how long I would remain conscious. I couldn't keep my eyes open but I smiled at the familiar burning on the back of my hand as my order took another of my seals away. I would be down to only a few but it was worth it. "Kill Caster."

 ** _Gilgamesh – September 4th – Afternoon –_**

This witch didn't know who she was dealing with…taking another Master's command seals and controlling their Servant? It was clever, if utterly devoid of any real skill. I couldn't however, continue to fight when she commanded it. She believed me when I bluffed that such a thing wouldn't last, but I couldn't know if my words were true. My bravado was easy enough to put forward, but she was taking a seal far more powerful than the average contracts formed by a Magus. Would her command seal last indefinitely as Kagome's had done? Could she retain that same strength given the seals had been augmented by the old gods?

I wouldn't allow that…I was already fighting against the mystical shackles that the commands forced on me. It would be painful, but I could force myself out from their control…though if I could before she ordered me to kill myself. That remained to be seen. She was discussing just that option when Kagome, who had seemed quite unconscious suddenly pulled herself away from the witch with a flash of light. I reached to her and pulled her away from the witch's grip, but the creature already had another command seal…if she used it then I would have to hand Kagome over…

Then Kagome spoke my name. Her words didn't have the direction I'd normally expect from a command seal use, but it was impressive that she was conscious to utter them at all. Kill Caster? My pleasure. I picked up the girl, she'd gone fully unconscious after her remark.

"You will not fight me and hand her back to me." The witch uttered, for a moment I felt a small urge to listen, but the combatting orders canceled each other out. I could ignore them both if I had the inclination. I laughed at the absurdity, in a way Kagome's order had simply freed me from the chains to do whatever I happened to prefer. I glanced up to the witch, glad she had the mentality to attempt moving away, and more amused when she cried out as blades came down, pinning her feet to the ground.

"Are you fool enough to think I'd let your trespass stand?" I continued to laugh as I held Kagome with just one arm, gesturing with the other so more blades tore into the trio of Servants. Medusa dodged a few before being hit. The swordsman had finally reached the end of his limits and vanished. Only a few cuts across the witch…just enough to make her bleed, to make her feel the pain. "If you fall to your knees and beg, I'll consider offering you mercy."

"Stop..." Whatever protest Medusa had, was cut short. I was in no mood to broker insolence. If I killed them all now and took the grail after, it made no difference to me. The Rider was fast, but not enough to avoid blades coming at her from every angle. She'd leapt at me, and there wasn't a portion of the sky not lit up. As if a small golden sun had been summoned at my rage, the pile that fell from it to the ground, it was far from recognizable before it too faded away.

"I won't bow to you King of Heroes." The girl laughed. "Torment me, it makes no difference to me."

A man had been sneaking around, trying to come up behind me. He was skilled, exceptionally so for a human, but not enough. I smiled slowly at the horror that came to her face when the blades went through him. She had torn her own foot free of her form to try and get in the way, to help him. Dedicated, wasn't she? She died cursing my name on her lips, a fitting end for such a rabid dog.

I glanced around, the energy here was still hanging in the air. It was enough, and from the energy I felt coming from the shrine. I expected the grail was in the process of being summoned now. I walked that way, moving down several stories to an underground. There, a girl lay beneath the chalice that all this trouble was always about. The grail. Kagome was far from any shape to use it. I sighed at her, nothing more than a lump in my arms…I could easily take the chalice for myself.

That's why Anu had picked me. It wasn't about this girl per say, though her connection to the divine had certainly made her severing Caster's power possible, any divine blood could have functioned. It was me they wanted. If at the end the girl couldn't make a wish, then I didn't care for the grail. I was perhaps the only Servant that viewed it as just another trinket, impressive perhaps for a cup, but unworthy of me. I was perhaps one of the only Servant's that could be trusted not to steal it. I hated the gods and their games…

"Kagome." I encouraged, shaking her lightly. Now that Medusa was dead, the effects of her power should have started to wear off. The girl should wake soon, and she had a job yet to do. "Kagome, you need to wake up."

"Hmm…" The noise was a good sign, she often made those before returning to consciousness. I shook her slightly and her eyes popped open, looking at me a moment in shock before seeming to remember what had happened. She froze when she saw the grail and the girl beneath it.

"You can't help her. A human life forges the grail." I remarked, pulling her chin back to face me. "Are you certain you can do this? That you would wish the grail away instead of something for yourself?"

She stared at me quietly a moment, and the fear was there. Not that I could blame her, any normal human should be terrified, it showed a presence of mind and lack of insanity. Still, she had to remove the grail, so I could visit home. Anu always wanted to speak with someone once they accomplished one of his missions. I just wanted the ride home, I could kill Ishtar then…

"I can." She finally said, nodding and resolute, standing on her own feet after I steadied her a moment. I couldn't make the wish for her. I could only watch; this grail was powered fully. I was alive, but that didn't matter, the grail had still been fed all the Servants it needed to gain its power. Amusing that the corrupted thing was the very reason I retained my life while making this rotation of wish possible. Magic was such a fickle thing.

I watched her approach the grail, she looked hesitant to touch it, but I couldn't blame her…given the story I'd told her of the last time destroying it was attempted. I had to admit, for a mortal, she was brave…certainly afraid, but pressing forward despite that. She was a prime example as to why this world had people worth saving. I had to admit that with a little grooming and training she could be quite a good slave.

She reached out to touch the grail, and then looked back at me. I scowled as I realized there was gold in her triumphant expression. That this was the gambit Ishtar had been planning for all along. I started forward, but it was too late.

"Don't move, King of Heroes. Stand there and watch while I make a wish…" Another seal was burned from Kagome's hand as she turned to consider the cup.

 **End Chapter**

I need to work some on my action. I feel like I could improve a lot there. It is sort of hard to write fight scenes for cosmic beings though XD. Gilgamesh in particular since he out rates most of the Servants once he gets serious. Minus Saber, but Kagome sort of made Saber's defeat possible. Sorry it's been a minute. Real life is a bitch lately tbh.

 _-Aura_

To my reviewers:

Thanks for the continued support and kind words. I appreciate them.

 _SamMason666_ – Granting wishes, does that make me like a grail?

 _Animecutylover_ – Thanks for all the support. As for chapter titles. All chapter titles for this fic are related to the title of songs and the lyrics used for quotes. In the case of chapter 4, the song in question is a sarcastic dark view of 'true love'.

 _Wicken25 –_ Yes, Herc is pretty awesome. But there's already been Herc/Gil as a fight that played out in the anime and I didn't really want to just rehash that.


	12. Warrior

End of Chapter Eleven:

She reached out to touch the grail, and then looked back at me. I scowled as I realized there was gold in her triumphant expression. That this was the gambit Ishtar had been planning for all along. I started forward, but it was too late. I wasn't sure I'd even made the first step before black washed over my vision…

 **Chapter Twelve:** **_Warrior_**

 _"There's a part of me I can't get back, a little girl that grew up too fast. All it took was once, I'll never be the same. Now I'm taking back my life today, nothing left that you can say..."_

 **-Demi Lavato, _Warrior_ Lyrics**

 ** _Gilgamesh – Sept 4th – Early Evening –_**

"Hmm, what to wish for." She said, as though it was a trivial thing.

"Anu was never involved in this…" I remarked, realizing that the gods had of course maintained their centuries long lack of involvement in the world. I should have noticed something amiss sooner…

"Of course not, but you always think you're so clever, that you're the center of the universe." She grinned to me, amused at her comments as I was forced to observe. "It is easy enough to manipulate you Gilgamesh, just pretend I would ask for your help…that father would. You of course think you're the only one that can help the gods."

Fighting against a normal command seal was difficult enough, but whatever augmentation Ishtar had added to Kagome's seals made it impossible for me to budge other than to speak or look at her. The grail war wasn't over until a wish was made, the seals would remain intact until that moment.

"I wonder, the grail was quite good at influencing you. I could always make you desire me." She commented thoughtfully, settling a finger against her lips as she seemed to ponder the hideous idea. "Then, I don't really want you anymore. Just for you to suffer."

I didn't point out that would be perhaps the worst form of torment. She held the grail in a hand as she took a seat on the dias next to the ashes of the body that had formed it. Kicking her feet over the edge as she looked at the wish granting cup she looked like a child with a toy she didn't know what to do with yet. I wanted to do something, to pause her, but it was more than mere pain that stopped my hand…

"The grail already had augmented me, why want to end that?" I asked. Certainly she'd seemed quite amused by my losing a part of myself to the stains of mankind.

"It was quite entertaining, for a while." She admitted cheerfully. "Then, you were getting a little extreme. Is it you being punished if you aren't you anymore? Besides, it was looking as if you would win your little gambit to save the world and then you wouldn't be suffering."

She'd put more thought into this than I had for how I would revisit her crimes, I'd need to put a bit more consideration into how to torture her. Assuming I could stay my hand and not kill her outright the moment I could raise a hand. I wasn't sure I wanted to…

"A slave I think might be best. I could force you to work for this body, this voice, for as long as it lived." She continued to consider how to best harm me out loud. "Then, it might be a fleeting punishment, the lifetime of a mortal. Perhaps all of my line. Then I could always seek you out and give new orders."

I frowned at her. She would need a greater grail for that purpose…which would include sacrificing one of her remaining seals to force me to kill myself. Then, forcing me to kill and enslave myself in one day…that was more the sort of thing I would expect from her.

"This entire little play is growing tedious, Ishtar. You always knew what you were going to do." I remarked, unimpressed. "Give up your poor attempts at subterfuge and just finish whatever you have in mind, unless boring me to death was your alternative to ordering my suicide."

The flash of anger in her eyes amused me.

"Fine then, let's get to this." She snapped back at me. "I wish…"

Her words cut out. She seemed ready to say more but her voice stopped working. The surprise on her face was genuine and I had to admit it wasn't what I'd been expecting. She growled and looked at the grail.

"I wish…"

Again, the words died on her lips.

"Cat got your tongue?" I mocked.

"Shut up, Gilgamesh." She hissed at me, though I didn't feel the pain or compulsion of a seal being used.

"Then, go on." I returned, amused at her inability to fully control her host. At some level Kagome was stopping her from using the grail, I had to appreciate the mongrel for that sort of resolve.

"I'll have to reconsider…" Ishtar commented, biting her lip. It was clear she had figured out the same interference. "I didn't expect the priestess to be so bold. Perhaps if I wish for something in alliance of what she would want she won't be so swift to refuse me."

I didn't reply. I had few expectations of mortals. Ishtar was likely right, I'd seen as well as the goddess had there were clearly things this girl wanted.

"I could tie Gilgamesh to you girl. I wouldn't always have the time to possess you. In the meanwhile, he would work for you. Perhaps not what you want, but gods and time…it means little to us. Gilgamesh undoubtedly has something in that vault of his that could take you to your past. To your friends there. He could keep all of them safe, you've seen what he's capable of." Ishtar was speaking aloud but I could tell whom she intended her conversation for.

If there was some reply taking place, that I couldn't observe.

"I wish…" Ishtar started again.

 ** _Kagome – Sept 4th – Early Evening –_**

Agony. My body hurt, and I felt heavily disoriented. As if I were strapped down and yet somehow coming to consciousness. I'd never been a fan of pain, but it was a step up from nothingness. It wasn't as though I hadn't been trapped in the darkness before. Only now, I was starting to feel something amiss. I felt trapped and in pain, but far from alone. If anything, the very void of privacy made me want to rub my arms. What was going on?

It was a feeling more than anything, a lust and desire for vengeance that somehow reached me in this strange state between consciousness and the lack of. **No.** Whatever you want…you can't have it. I knew somehow that this thing, this shadow of hate inside me, wanted to make a wish. And I certainly knew just how much wishes were dreadful things. If you wanted something, you had to make it for yourself, not get it from some magical object.

 _Ishtar…_

The distasteful voice of Gilgamesh haunted my disjointed thoughts. He'd spoken so ill of her, as I cleared my thoughts it came to mind. She was possessing me now. She'd wanted to use the grail for herself. Just as Gilgamesh had wished harm on her, she wished the same on him.

 **No.** You can't have it.

I couldn't do much…I didn't know if I was really doing anything…but I got impressions of frustration whenever I refused. My head swam then with images of my friends from the past. Inuyasha, Shippou, Sango, Miroku…our travels together made my heart ache. It was so fresh in that moment, like someone had picked off a scab so it would bleed fresh. What was this creature offering me? If I let her do this I could have my friends back? My life that didn't feel so mundane as this one?

Would I be able to return to just going to college after all of this? After having the world of the supernatural thrust back on me? After all the crisp visions of the friends I'd lost playing through my emotions anew? I wanted to sob, and yet I wasn't really in control of my own body. I couldn't even see or hear what was happening…only get impressions. My friends though, I could have them back again? I could let Inuyasha wrap his arms around me. I could throw my fox kit in the air and smile when he giggled at stealing the candy I'd brought for him…

Gilgamesh had been wrong about me. I was someone that wanted things, that wished for them as much as anyone else. I wasn't that great a person, not really. I was as confused by temptation as anyone was. All I had to do was let this woman utter her wish, not get in her way again, and I could have everything I ever wanted. I felt the same rise of desire, of power, that had first brought me awake and caused me to stop her.

I could hear my friends welcoming me home, the warmth of their arms making me want to break from the soft embrace. Then, I could also hear a man begging not to be left alone, it was distant though, a mere whisper compared to the roar of everything I could hope for.

 _"I'm sorry…"_

Perhaps apologies were the only real sentiment I would ever have…

 **End Chapter**

Yeah, I know it's short, but I felt it was the best place for a pause and sometimes you gotta do the shorter chapters if you feel that fits the narrative. I shall try not to wait that long on the next chapter to make up for it. My life will be the judge there. If I can manage it I'll try and make next chapter a bit longer to also make up for it: ). In better news. I have recently released a demo of a virtual novel game I have in progress. You can find it on under Secrets of Avalon. Or under the same name discussed on the lemma soft forums. I would appreciate any support or feedback on that as it will continue to be a process and feedback helps me build toward what people want : ).

 _-Aura_

To my reviewers:

Thanks for continued support!


	13. Paralyzed?

End of Chapter Twelve:

I could hear my friends welcoming me home, the warmth of their arms making me want to break from the soft embrace. Then, I could also hear a man begging not to be left alone, it was distant though, a mere whisper compared to the roar of everything I could hope for.

 _"I'm sorry…"_

Perhaps apologies were the only real sentiment I would ever have…

 **Chapter Thirteen:** **_Paralyzed?_**

 _"I hold on so nervously to me and my drink. I wish it was cooling me, but so far has not been good… Well, I'm not paralyzed, but I seem to be struck by you..."_

 ** _-Finger Eleven, Paralyzer Lyrics_**

 ** _Kagome – Sept 5th – Morning –_**

My head hurt.

Why was I being shaken? All I wanted to do was sleep.

"Leave me alone…" I groaned, pulling the blanket I had over my head, so I could try and ignore this bother. Or, at least I tried to, but it was pulled away and I whimpered in frustration, all I wanted to do was try to sleep through this migraine.

"Wake up." The voice didn't broke argument though and I blinked painfully, noting the outline of Gilgamesh and gathering my fingers around the cup he was pressing insistently into my palm. I took it, sipping at it and nearly spiting it out on my own lap, it tasted wretched.

"W. is this?" I sputtered the question, wincing at the burn it left on my throat.

"Consider it a cure-all." Gilgamesh's tone didn't have any warmth to it, just the usual cool arrogance I'd come to expect. I blinked, frowning at my surroundings. Where the hell were we? I was on a couch, which was admittedly comfortable, but I didn't recognize it. There was thick carpet on the floor along with several piles of overstuffed pillows. A table nearby had food on it, a glance had sent my stomach growling despite the nasty drink he'd given me making me nauseous a moment ago. Then, as I thought about it the aches in my body and head had mostly resided.

"What happened?" I asked. "We were fighting the other Servants, then Medusa stopped me from moving."

It was the last thing I could remember, after that it was just pain. Had I really been turned to stone? I was feeling better but was still a little disoriented. He didn't seem worried though, he took the cup back from me and it vanished into whatever realm held his seemingly endless items. He sat next to me on the couch, not looking concerned despite my seeking answers.

"The other servants were removed." His reply was as if it were only the natural conclusion. I wasn't sure how he'd handled that, but I didn't argue with him. I doubted I'd be waking up at all if he hadn't won. Then I sat up straighter, watching him intently. "The grail, did you get it?"

"You wished it away." He remarked, his tone souring. "Ishtar made an appearance at the time, I expect your lack of recall is her doing."

Had I? I couldn't remember wishing it away, or even seeing it. Yet, for all his many faults, Gilgamesh never lied directly. I rubbed my arms at the idea of someone else in my skin without me knowing…again. "Ishtar, what did she do?"

"It is as I said." He remarked, though he hadn't really told me anything. "She attempted to interfere, but you still destroyed the grail. I must admit, your willpower is impressive for a mortal. Overpowering a god, even for an instant, is not something many could do. You should eat something while we're waiting."

I'd overpowered a god? Is that why I'd felt horrible? Waiting for what? I got up to move to the table all the same, gathering some things to eat. I was quite hungry. I grabbed part of a sandwich, some fresh fruit, and some chips before returning to sit near him.

"But…why are you still here? Ishtar interfered how?" I asked dumbly, trying to connect dots blindly. "You said you were going to leave when we finished. Where are we? I didn't die, did I?"

He smirked slowly at my final question and that didn't make me feel any better. After a moment he shook his head once negatively. "No need to grow melancholy, you survived the encounter. We're on one of my vehicles. The simplest explanation is that Ishtar augmented the magic of the grail war and cursed me with you. If you consider your hand, we remain unfortunately tied by the seals even though no real power remains."

Not dead, that's good. He didn't sound very pleased about being stuck with me, though I mirrored that irritation. Sure enough, the mark was still on the back of my hand, but the sunburst had been worn down to nothing more than a single circle. The rest of the points seemingly worn off. What did that mean? I had no command's left, but we were still connected? How had so many vanished? I glanced up to him, but he wasn't looking at me, he was staring off at nothing. Was he just not going to talk about this?

"This wasn't what we agreed to." I stated, annoyed. "I wish the grail away and then I get back to my life as usual."

Was that even what I wanted? Even if not, I didn't want to keep him here if he didn't want to be here, that much was for certain. I chewed on some meat and crackers as I tried to remember anything else. The last thing I could recall before waking up was feeling heavy and not being able to move after Medusa had looked at me. I'd have to take Gilgamesh's word on the rest, I trusted him not to lie, though I wasn't sure if he would just leave out vital details. "Couldn't I just tell you not to follow me and go do…whatever you want to do?"

"Not possible. Ishtar used every command you had remaining to tie me to you, though I plan to remedy that in short order. We'll arrive shortly." He answered, reaching over to pick up a grape from my plate to pop into his mouth.

"Arrive where?"

"It's a small city not far from Baghdad."

I nearly choked on the food I had, managing to swallow but then breaking into several coughs as I tried to catch my breath at nearly inhaling some crackers. I had to pause to take a drink of water and felt tears in my eyes from the stinging in my throat.

"What?" I protested, ignoring the raised brow he was offering me at my short coughing fit. "You can't just take me out of the country! I don't have a passport, or clothes, or a phone. I didn't tell anyone I was going, people are going to think I've been kidnapped or…"

"Shhh." The short hiss inspired my silence less than the finger he'd pressed to my lips. The pressure was light, and certainly not enough to quiet me by force, the surprise of the gesture did that. His attention had returned to me, and I swallowed to try and push the dryness that appeared in my mouth away. His crimson gaze seemed to strike right through me, to pin me in place. I swallowed nervously, staring back at him. Those eyes seemed ready to swallow me up, and I wasn't sure I'd stop them if they tried. They were terrifyingly magnificent, and it reminded me of the first time I'd summoned him as he looked down on me. That celestial dream had turned so swiftly to nightmare and back again…

"You need not worry about such mundane details. Whatever you might need, my vault can provide. I may not have chosen you as an escort, but you should conduct yourself appropriately all the same. All this barking is unbecoming." His words managed to break the charisma of his eyes and I pulled back and picked up something to eat, glancing away from him. I hated that he was so damn pretty, even if he ruined it anytime he opened his mouth.

"Why are we going to this city near Baghdad?" I asked, wanting to change the subject. The smug grin on his face was enough to tell me he knew that I was attracted to him. Jerk.

"There is still magic in the world, real magic, not the games humans play at. Only if you know where to look." He answered, stealing another of my grapes. "It is likely the key to separating us from this little curse, or at least a pathway to Ishtar."

"Wait, Ishtar? Is she even on earth?" I asked. Was he just casually having a conversation about visiting some sort of heaven? Sure, why not, just another Tuesday.

"Couldn't you have checked with me before just leaving?" I asked, still annoyed. "My family is going to wonder where I am. I've already been bad about contacting them."

"There was little point in waiting given we needed to use this leisurely method to arrive. I doubt your form would have tolerated dematerialization when you were already so near death. It is a minor inconvenience, but you should be grateful all the same." His reply not helping my mood. Gratitude?

"Thanks for what? Kidnapping me while I was unconscious after some bitch goddess possessed me?" I snapped.

His lips perked at my new nickname for Ishtar. I remembered how quick he was to threaten my life and how this protection was short lived at best. I rubbed my temples, I wasn't in the mood to deal with his attitude right now, muttering lowly. "Sorry, you're right. You saved me. I do appreciate it, I'm just frustrated."

"Your quality of apology and appreciation need development." He observed at my tirade and then correction. "That fire of yours is entertaining enough, so I'll accept your fault in behavior."

- _MY- fault in behavior? Don't say anything Kagome…_

I had dealt with him long enough now to know his words were a compliment, backwards or not. He was trying in his own way to be tolerable, at least I guessed as much. He didn't have the same severity and insult in his tone as in some of our previous conversations. There was the barest touch of fondness, that or I was still disoriented. I didn't really know how to take this sort of behavior. He'd always been flirty and direct but before just now I'd always sensed a certain amount of disgust, this last time he'd looked at me lacked that…but why?

Had something happened? He'd said I'd resisted Ishtar and wished the grail away. Had I really done something he found acceptable then? I couldn't recall…

Why was this Ishtar person punishing me anyway? What had I done to deserve getting stuck with Gilgamesh of all people? I was just some person that was descended from her and so I got to be used for her games? Couldn't some part of my life be about me instead of people I'm distantly related to? Or was this because I pissed her off by not letting her have the grail? At least he'd made it seem like that's what happened. Well, she should have chosen another body to puppet. She got one that wasn't devoid of all sense of moral responsibility.

What sorts of gods were these anyway? They all just seemed like selfish jerks. Not that I'd met many, but my short track record didn't leave positive feelings. Then, I guess they did sort of match up with the different mythologies I was familiar with.

"I know you aren't any happier with this arrangement than I am." I stated. "Let's just get this done so we can each move on with our lives."

"Are you certain you are prepared for what that means?" He asked, considering me curiously. Had I just agreed to something I shouldn't? "You need not stare blankly. It is likely the most successful method to remove the spell that binds us is by removing the caster. I will need to kill Ishtar."

"Then that's what we'll do." I answered. This woman wasn't going to get any sympathy from me, from everything I knew she was outright terrible. I wouldn't feel remorse for her. "I have a request though; can you tell me what happened in more detail? With the grail?"

"A reasonable request…" He stated after a moment of consideration…

 ** _Gilgamesh – Sept 4th – Evening – (The previous evening)._**

"…for…" Ishtar drew out the next word she managed to utter in relation to making a wish on the grail. Clearly celebrating her own success in having pushed past whatever block Kagome had put into place. It seemed even the priestess couldn't stop herself when an offer of something she wanted came to be. I shouldn't have been surprised, but I felt my brows raise all the same as she was able to continue.

"…the grail to cease to exist…"

Ishtar and I blinked at each other. Neither of us expected that to be the next thing she stated.

"You witch…" Ishtar hissed at herself, tossing the cup down even as it began to fade away. Unfortunately, my own bonds didn't seem to change. Whatever alterations that had been made to the command seals allowed them to last when the grail and the grail war didn't even exist. "You won't get away with this! Fine, I can still punish you. Gilgamesh, King of Heroes, I command you with all remaining seals on this form to always stay by this body and keep it safe, else you will suffer as it suffers."

I grit my teeth, but not from the shared pain in the girl's hand. Such a command was far more painful than any physical discomfort. It was also from the irritation, how had Ishtar come by the power to craft this sort of a spell? A command seal that lasted beyond the existence of the original purpose? It had to date back to before the creation of the grail war itself. It had to have been something else, another type of magic that was repurposed by the human mages. Whatever they'd based the eventual seals on…

"Ishtar, you little…" I didn't get to finish my insults, Kagome's body fell off the side of the dias, generally I wouldn't have done anything, but the command had eaten through several seals and these worked better than most. I was beneath her reforming to catch her before I'd thought about dematerializing. Ishtar had left to go laugh and celebrate her little extra gambit. I had underestimated the witch. Then, no one could have predicted this change. It was some small consolation that Kagome had managed to destroy the grail against Ishtar's plans, but not by much. She'd accomplished much the same punishment she'd been speaking of without it.

Then, did that mean that these seals wouldn't last? Certainly, they were more powerful than average ones. Then again, they likely had limitations even if they were created outside of the purview of the grail war. Though I didn't know what those could be. I'd assumed they were just an augmented part of the war when Kagome had summoned me, but it was more likely they were never involved. Simply all some piece of Ishtar's strange plot for revenge. She'd stuck this girl in the middle of it…but also used her as a shield. Pathetic, needing to hide behind mortals…then Ishtar never was much of one to fight her own battles.

I scowled as I stood there, watching the unconscious mongrel who likely possessed no clue as to the orders I'd been given. I sighed and then laughed, the absurdity of this situation, temporary as it would be, wasn't lost on me. Gilgamesh, body guard to a mortal descendant of the creature I hated most in this world…

 **End Chapter**

Heh, poor Kagome. She still can't get free of Gil, crossing country lines by kidnapping? Gil, you criminal you. Gilgamesh is still out to MDK Ishtar. I finished school (whoo) and hoped for more involvement on fics but then I got sick as hell. Docs put me on a steroid yesterday, so I finally actually wanted to crawl out of bed. Decided to work for a while today.

-Aura

To my reviewers:

Thanks for all the support. I am sorry it took a while to get to this update, but life sadly comes before pretend fun writing.

Star – LOL what? The summary as well as the couples tell you who the people in the stories are.


	14. Looking Glass

End of Chapter Thirteen: I scowled as I stood there, watching the unconscious mongrel who likely possessed no clue as to the orders I'd been given. I sighed and then laughed, the absurdity of this situation, temporary as it would be, wasn't lost on me. Gilgamesh, body guard to a mortal descendant of the creature I hated most in this world…

 **Chapter Fourteen:** **_Looking Glass_**

 _"Waiting as I'm wanting to, speaking as I'm spoken to. Changing to your point of view. Fading as I follow you."_

 **-The Birthday Massacre, _Looking Glass_ Lyrics**

 ** _Kagome – Sept 5th – Afternoon –_**

"Stay near me and keep me safe?" I blinked curiously at his description of Ishtar's orders. Was it really that insulting for him to be close by? Then, I knew he largely looked at me as barely a separate entity to Ishtar since she could take over my body. Considering she'd murdered his best and apparently only friend. I suppose I couldn't blame him for feeling that way. I guess it would be a torment just for him to have to protect a mortal.

"You've surprisingly little to say as to my description." He remarked, and I shrugged at him.

"I'm not sure what to say, nothing I could say is likely to make you feel any better about this happening." I replied. "I wish it would have gone differently."

He didn't reply, watching me quietly as if digesting my words. I wish he was easier to read, but when he wanted to have a poker face I couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling at all. It was strange, I was usually pretty good at being empathetic with people, but he could just turn off all tells anyone else might have. He instead picked up another of my grapes and I frowned slightly at him.

"The food is just on the table there." I pointed out.

"Yes, though this is closer." He remarked, smirking at my comment and taking another grape.

"Next you'll want me to feed them to you." I rolled my eyes and took another bite of my own, leaving the grapes for him despite his attitude since he seemed to like them.

"Are you offering?" He asked, his lips curling upward more at the frown I shot him. "You did bring it up."

"I was being sarcastic." I answered. "I'm not going to feed you."

"No?" He seemed amused, as if taking my words as a challenge. Great, he had that look in his eyes that made me the mouse. I was probably the only thing here to entertain him, I didn't see a television or anything electronic other than the lights. "Then, I understand not wanting to get too close to me, it'll be hard enough on you to part after our time together."

…

"I'll have to live with the devastation." I stated drily, not expecting him to laugh. I never knew when he'd take my words as a joke or as an insult. His moods were so random. I blushed when he reached up to push some hair from my face. His hands gentle when he wanted them to be…

"You deflect to protect yourself." He observed, able to read me much more easily than I was him. "Once a person touches divinity they can't want to return to the mediocre."

He spoke like I had a choice. Why was he trying to get under my skin? I frowned at him and set my plate on the table. "I doubt it matters to you, you're just trying to get a rise out of me because you are bored while we're traveling. When will we get to where you want to look for answers?"

"Are you always so presumptuous?" He asked, though some of the amused quality had dropped from his tone. "You think highly of yourself to speak for the motives of the King of Heroes. Just because you are worthier than the rest of the mongrels doesn't make you more than a dog."

"Well, then go away and leave this dog alone before it bites you." I snapped back. What the hell? Screw you too, Gilgamesh. Instead of dropping him further from his good mood as I expected my remark would, it earned me a smile. He was such a prick.

"A dog should still be rewarded for its efforts. I may not approve having been rescued by you from the grail, but I am not so ungrateful as to dismiss or forget your gesture. Or your unwilling involvement in this matter. You are far from a perfect host, but acceptable is better than most. Should you get nothing for your trouble?" He asked, his words the same sort of backward compliments I should have been getting used to. What was he getting at here? "You are gracious enough not to ask, but there are things even saints desire. If there's something I can offer you when this is done, and Ishtar is no more than a poor memory then I will grant it."

"Are you serious?" I asked. He had all the money or magic I could almost ever want at his fingertips. Could he get me back to the feudal era? Could one of the countless things in his vault open the well again?

"Would you rather refuse my offer?" He asked. "Perhaps you are even more righteous than I first believed."

"No, I…" I paused. The idea of being able to go home again. It was almost too good to believe. Could he even know what I had in mind? I searched his red gaze for some sign that he wasn't just messing with me again. I wasn't sure I could handle that.

"I cannot know for sure if I have something that could open this gate of yours, but if I do then when this is over you can have it. Assuming you want it." He could discern what I longed for so easily. Certainly, I'd told him that was my original hope, so it wasn't a hard guess, but I could only nod lightly. I hadn't expected such a generous offer from him. Even if he didn't have something that could help me, the fact that he was willing to try was almost too much. I threw my arms around him to hug him, laughing lightly at the way he froze slightly. At least he couldn't predict every one of my actions.

"Thank you, thank you." I repeated, hugging him closer a moment before backing away. "Sorry, I just…I wanted to hug you."

He watched me a moment, but the shock had again been replaced by an expression I couldn't read. Then he glanced toward one of the rooms doors.

"We've arrived." He announced, getting up from the couch, interrupting my moment of overcome gratitude.

 ** _Gilgamesh – Sept 5th – Evening_**

"There are always methods for traveling to other worlds." I stated, growing bored with the librarian they'd shoved outside to meet me. Secretive human cults never did know how to react whenever gods did show up on their doorstep. Half or not, it was clear they recognized my divinity and simply weren't sure what to do with it. "If you know nothing of it, find someone that does."

"Sir?" The man looked unsure how to react.

"Presently, you are dismissed." I gestured at the door, amused at the way he went almost running out of the room.

"You are scaring them." Kagome pointed out from where she was seated nearby.

"Good, they should be. Perhaps they'll work faster to find me what I need." I shrugged at her concern, taking a seat. "You need not concern yourself. This cult exists for serving the Babylonian gods, and I'm the closest they'll ever meet."

She stared quietly, a sign she didn't approve but didn't want to argue. I smirked, quietly challenging her to say something else but she just looked at the door. She'd been doing that more as of late, not looking at me. Did it bother her that much that she wanted me? As any mortal naturally would. I was accustomed to mortals being attracted to me, but her responses to it weren't common. Still, this one had always kept herself reserved until earlier this afternoon. Even when she'd thrown her arms around me, it hadn't been out of any sort of amorous affection. Her gratitude had reached appropriate levels for my generosity, though her methods were still largely unglamorous they were also satisfactory.

I'd been surprised, a rare event these days. The warmth of her arms, the slight pressure of them around me, her hair tickling my neck and chest while her scent barely enveloped me for that moment. It was not a sensation I'd shared in several centuries. The honest appreciation for my offer was also often lacking in recent years. For all the kindness I offered the mongrels, few knew how to thank me for it. I hadn't known for a split second how to respond, and before I could make up my mind she'd backed away and we'd landed. The moment had passed…

Instead, we'd come to the temple here. It served as a very remote monastery that few in the mortal world knew existed, how to find it was left to only a handful that didn't live here full time. Even the grand Mages Association wasn't aware of this ancient facility, whose purpose had always been to retain the lore of the ages as well as serve the first gods. The majesty it once possessed had waned long ago, with many areas of hieroglyphics fading or gone completely. A few areas were better kept than others, with fresh layers of paint aiding their preservation. Still, the whole of the place was less than I remembered it from my last visit many centuries ago. It was going to fall apart completely eventually, but I retained hope they would have the knowledge I was after.

"If they don't have what you want, don't overreact." Kagome stated, and I chuckled. She was always much to concerned with others than herself. "You said there are other options."

"None that are preferable options, you'd certainly like them less than this one." I pointed out, watching the flicker of concern on her face at my words. "If they do not possess what we need, then the Mages Association might, but they will be far less amiable to the presence of either of us."

"Just don't kill anybody…" She stated after a moment. She was such a bleeding heart, though I suppose I could always look at it like a game. There were lots of ways to inspire the mongrels to their proper place without killing.

"Couldn't you just try being nice once in a while?" She asked, as if she knew what I had been considering.

"This isn't funny." I heard the voice in the hall, same as Kagome did. "If this is some practical…"

The older man cut off his comments as he opened the room and spotted me. I vaguely wondered if his heart might give out before he could give me what I was after, but he managed to dip into a bow after staring a long moment. I had to admit, the dogs that knew who their master was were far preferable to the random mutts on the streets.

"Gilgamesh, my lord." The man seemed almost out of breath when he spoke. "To what do we owe this honor?"

"I need information." I replied. "Do you have any texts on spells used to craft the Association's Grail War or the grail? More specifically, on the command seals used to form the connection between Servant's and Master's."

"We have several texts on the grail war, though I don't know all of their contents. I could have them looked at…"

"No, take us to them. I'll read them over myself." I interrupted. While I generally enjoyed the presence of those who recognized me, I was ready to have this done and kill Ishtar. "I'd also like any information on portals and the Throne of Heroes brought for me to decipher."

"Immediately." The man stood to guide me, not asking a dozen questions or being rude. Perhaps Kagome could take notes from these men on how to act with her betters. I walked after him, and heard her coming up behind me, though her steps occasionally slowed then picked back up. She was looking around this place in wonder and sometimes pausing to look at the views of the mountain or at particularly well-preserved pieces of art. As long as she remained close I wasn't going to deny her the wonder, it was unlikely she'd ever see the place again once we left it.

After a time, we were dropped off in an office and the man reassured me all the texts I desired would be brought to me shortly. There weren't windows here, so none of the sand of the desert terrain could come in and wear down the dozens of books. The temperature was pleasant, some sort of spell to dismiss the heat in the air. The chairs were large and old but comfortable. There were many long tables to do reading and research along with other stationary and writing utensils. A desk in one corner hinted this was likely an office for one of the more prominent members of the monastery. It would do.

"So, I just am supposed to sit here while you read for hours?" Kagome asked, clearly not wanting to do that.

"You are failing to present proper appreciation, again." I pointed out, ignoring the glare she shot me. "You will not learn proper behavior if you never practice it. I would have you aid in this process, but I doubt you can read the language."

"Oh yeah, I totally took ancient Mesopotamian as an elective." Why must the mongrels now be so attached to sarcasm? It only seemed like they wanted it to try and show themselves as clever. Perhaps I was being too lenient with her, though I also lacked a certain choice. Any harm visited on her reflected to me. I'd have to find other methods of correction if I wanted to reinforce better behavior.

"If you wish to be useful, I can teach it to you." I had hated my lessons on reading and writing, and the way she stared at my offer showed at the very least it wasn't the answer she'd expected from me. "If not, then this will go faster if you do not interrupt."

 ** _Kagome – Sept 8th – Late Night/Early Morning –_**

For a man that complained so often about being bored, he certainly didn't seem to realize that having me sit here while he researched these dusty old texts wasn't exactly super interesting. I'd tried to walk out a few times in the days he'd been at this…but he'd told me I needed to remain here, or he couldn't work on this. I was growing more dubious of his truth-telling, but he had said he had to protect me. Did that mean we had to stay in the same space? I would like any time to myself though. At least he hadn't insisted on sleeping in the same room as me or watching me bathe. Though I'd had to argue about even that much.

I was also getting tired and he was still working away. We'd gotten here early this morning and it had been twelve hours. This wasn't even the first day he'd been studying these dusty tomes. They had brought us some food and drinks at mealtimes but otherwise the workers here were largely leaving him to read. He'd already gone through five of the books and taken some notes on them but there were still six left and none of them were small. Was he planning to just stay here for days working? He was only half way through the sixth, at this rate we'd be here another week or two at least.

I'd stolen some paper to sketch some while I was waiting, but that had not really helped me pass the time. If anything, I was just more frustrated that all I could do was doodle when I would have preferred to at least get a look around at this place. It was hot outside this room, but it was also lovely.

"If you can just materialize anywhere, why can't I go explore? Shouldn't that count as always being near me?" I tried this as a new tactic, so far, my attempts to convince him that I should be able to look around had failed.

"While I have a mana reserve of my own with my body, while we're connected I also draw power from you. Given your recent unconsciousness and destruction of the grail, your mana reserves haven't yet recovered. Nor will I deign to exchanging mana with you unless it becomes emergent." He explained, not even looking up from reading. While speaking to me his eyes continued to scan lines of the book. How he could read and simultaneously keep a conversation I didn't know, but it figured that the jerk had another impressive skill. I suppose a lot of his hubris was justified at times by his pure capabilities, not that it made me feel better.

"How do we exchange mana?" I asked, even if he refused I'd rather know than not know. Maybe it wasn't that bad, and he was just being a baby…

"You would certainly not prefer it." He replied, turning a page and continuing to read.

"Well, I can't know that without knowing what it is." I pointed out, annoyed at his easy dismissal of my boredom here.

"Physical contact." He replied, still reading without pause. "Skin to skin. The more that touches the stronger and faster the transfer. Is that something you'd like to do at present?"

"Uh…no." I was surprised at his answer, and a bit embarrassed. The memory of him with the tattoos along his chest and sides flickered through my head and I glanced away. Now wasn't the time to picture abs. I shook my head negatively.

I would have doubted the legitimacy of his answer, but he wasn't teasing me. He hadn't looked up to watch me blush at the implication or to see any reaction. He was quite set on the task he'd given himself, though it certainly didn't look as if it was fun. Here I'd been hoping for a more serious side to him, but this wasn't quite what I'd meant. He was certainly taking this new protection of me with more caution than I'd thought him capable either. I expected I was seeing facets of his personality that many did not. I could appreciate that if it didn't mean me sitting here as if I were some child being punished with a time out.

"I can't keep doing this much longer tonight." I finally said after I'd watched another twenty minutes pass on the clock on the wall. "It's one-thirty in the morning. I need to sleep."

He followed my gaze to the clock, considering before marking the page he was on with a thin strip of cloth. "You are correct, your mortal constitution will drain if you don't rest. Come. We can rest until tomorrow."

Finally. I perked and got up, smiling at an escape from this dungeon.

"You seem energetic enough." He pointed out at my jubilance but rose and walked toward the exit all the same.

"I'm just glad you are willing to leave." I replied, more than happy to pull the door open even with the blast of stifling air. It was better than the library of dullness.

"I would prefer to keep working, though the accommodations for the room are horrible." He replied, at least he didn't want me to just sleep on the floor. I had to give Gilgamesh he did like the finer things. The guest rooms here were lovely, and the workers that lived here always kept them neat. It reminded me of staying in a fancy hotel. What exactly did he expect? I thought they were doing a great job.

I had to share a bathroom with Gilgamesh, but I didn't mind that nearly as much since I got to sometimes take baths and I got my own room to sleep in. I headed there after walking back with him, he always lingered a moment in my room before leaving. At first, I thought it was creepy, but I realized he was making sure no one else was there. I appreciated his protection, even if I also was starting to hate it at the same time.

"Try to not spend too long in the bath, you getting enough sleep makes this faster or slower." He closed my door after the remark to head to his own. I was just glad to turn on the water and start getting it to the temperature I liked. The break was one I needed after spending the day cooped in that room.

 **End Chapter**

A bit of a slow chapter, but next chapter should pick things up if my heroes do what I want. Sometimes they argue with me and don't, we'll see how it goes. Either way, some down time for research is what they need atm : ).

 _-Aura_

To my reviewers:

As usual, I appreciate your kind words and that some of you would re-read previous stuff to catch up to present all over again. I wish I had more time to work on fictions instead of having to deal with responsibilities XD.

Shikigami1991 – Kagome at least, feels screwed over. Gilgamesh is displeased but mostly with Ishtar.


	15. For Your Entertainment

Warning: This chapter gets lightly citrus-ish (not quite but implied closeness-ish) later on, for those not very citrus inclined.

End of Chapter Fourteen: _"Try to not spend too long in the bath, you getting enough sleep makes this faster or slower." He closed my door after the remark to head to his own. I was just glad to turn on the water and start getting it to the temperature I liked. The break was one I needed after spending the day cooped in that room._

 **Chapter Fifteen: For Your Entertainment**

 ** _"Don't trip off the glitz I'm about to display. I told ya, I'm a hold ya down until you're amazed."_**

 **-Adam Lambert,** **_For Your Entertainment Lyrics_**

 ** _Gilgamesh – Sept 8th – Night –_**

Thus far, little in the books they'd offered had been helpful. I was irritated by the lack of useful information, but I still had several to go through. The mongrel kept whimpering which only slowed the process, I could feel her irritation across our strange connection. When I was actively focused or concentrating on the reading I could push away the concerns but in the separate quarters I'd been given I didn't have distractions. She was frustrated beyond her boredom of sitting in the room waiting for me to research a method to reach Ishtar. Her distress, even if not physical, made it impossible to relax. I glanced at one of my hands, wondering idly when I'd get to use it to choke the life from Ishtar…

 _"Just materialize anywhere…"_ Kagome's words echoed in the back of my mind.

The protest was one she couldn't know was impossible. Perhaps that had been the case when we'd been connected during the active grail war. With the grail destroyed my powers weren't working as they always had. I could use my Gate of Babylon to call whatever I might need from the void, but controlling my own materialization seemed to only function if she was nearby. Distance was also limited by what I could tell. I hadn't been able to bring her here directly after all, I'd had to call my ship. I could presume it was some sort of side effect of the orders I'd been given, a subconscious refusal to leave a certain proximity of the girl. In the case of traveling with her, perhaps the distance would have been too much for her in her unconscious state, but I was loath to try it even with her having recovered slightly. Her mana was still rather low, though I had my own source that was strong enough I was still connected to her, it was both akin and differed from the way a Master/Servant relationship worked in the usual grail war. This was a new beast and I had to be careful not to let too much be known about differences, thus I didn't plan to even tell Kagome what the differences were. She could perhaps figure it out herself, but she was so easily distracted that I doubted it. What on earth could be bothering her so much that it continued to press on our connection? I sighed, neither of us would get much rest at this rate. I didn't particularly want to transfer mana with her, but did I have much choice? Not having one's mana properly adjusted meant they might not act normal or feel emotions as they usually would.  
 ** _Kagome – Sept 8th – Night –_**

Normally a hot bath made me feel better, though it was so warm here naturally that out of the water was as stifling as in. All the same, I refused to go to bed without getting clean. I leaned back on the side of the large tub to look at the mosaic on the ceiling. It didn't have much color left but by the way the stones were set you could tell it was supposed to be some depiction of the stars. I sighed to myself and floated slightly as I tried to relax. My anxieties were starting to get the better of me. We'd been here for days now and my phone didn't get any reception here. According to the various attendants wandering around they didn't have phones here at all. What was I supposed to do about my mom? She would eventually go to see if I was home if I didn't pick up…and then what? Start a search for me as missing? That would go over well.

"You're loud." I wasn't sure when Gilgamesh had appeared, but I slipped and went under the water at his unexpected comment, coming back up sputtering and trying to push my hair from my face.

"What the hell?" I managed to snap out between coughs. "I wasn't doing anything but laying here."

"You are concerned about something." He remarked, watching me as I got my hair from my face and then ducked back into the water, covering my hands with my chest. "I can feel it across our connection, it's bothering you enough that you're just lingering here instead of sleeping."

"Get out, pervert." I snapped back. Why was he here interrupting my time? "I will be just fine. If I wanted someone to be empathetic I'd go find one of the workers here."

He didn't move, and I didn't see any sort of glimmer that accompanied his usual disappearance.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before." He said instead, and I balled my hands. Couldn't he give me a moment's peace? "What is keeping you from resting? The sooner it is resolved, the faster we can return to important matters."

"Just because it involves someone other than you, doesn't mean it's not important you inflated…" He interrupted me by pulling me closer in the tub and setting me in front of him. A moment later I felt his fingers on my shoulders, rubbing the muscles with just enough pressure to give me pause. Was this a new tactic? Be a rude jerk while giving me a shoulder massage? Then, it was better than just rude jerk, I could already feel my body starting to relax even though I probably normally would have gotten up to run away. I felt drained, both physically and mentally, after the long days here…

"There, now that your barking has stopped you can tell me what's keeping you up." He commented, calm as could be despite my turmoil. How was it he simply never seemed to care about anything? His hands shifted slightly, working more of the muscle. Man, that felt nice, it'd been years since I'd gotten a massage.

"My mom." I stated lightly, finding it difficult to focus with his hands on my back and neck. Had I even noticed how tense I was? "If I don't talk to her and she comes looking for me. She'll freak out that I haven't been home, if she hasn't already. I don't want to go back to find out I'm a missing person, I thought we were supposed to remain subtle while we did all this."

Not that he seemed to know what subtle meant, but I wasn't entirely convinced I cared as his hands moved down a little more. I'd said I needed to relax…this wasn't quite what I meant but I hadn't moved all the same. It was hard not to moan at his touch, though I did take a sharp intake of breath as he pressed into my lower back, there was a flash of pain that faded a moment later. Was this one of his abilities? Some sort of super massage powers? It wasn't until he'd paused to reach up to my upper arms that I remembered just where we were. That I remembered both he and I were naked, and much closer than we should be. My body went rigid. Nope, this wasn't okay…I was about to get up when one of his arms snaked around my waste to hold me even closer against him.

"Shhh." His hiss in my ear did not help me untense, if anything whatever progress he'd made to help my muscles relax was totally gone. I needed to get sleep sooner, if I'd have been more conscious then he would not have snuck his way in this far. "Just enjoy yourself."

His baritone whisper wasn't helping me keep my cool. Though it was hard to resist whatever magic he held in his fingertips. When he began to rub my neck again I almost relaxed before shaking my head insistently and trying to remove his arm from my waste. "Nope. If you wanna give me a massage that's great, but I want to be somewhere where I'm not naked, and neither are you."

"Oh? Just what thoughts are being inspired by our state of undress?" He purred the question, his hand now rubbing the outside of my thigh. I could feel a small rumble through his chest at his chuckle, he'd pulled me closer when I'd attempted to escape. "Given the blush on your cheeks I'd have to guess they aren't as chaste' as a priestess's thoughts should be. Here I'd simply thought to offer you a method to relax, and some mana to speed your recovery. I wonder if you are looking for something much different than leisure."

"I am blushing because this isn't normal for people." I managed to make words somehow despite the heavy distraction of his fingers drifting down my back and around my side. I jumped slightly, more ticklish than I'd like, but also unsettled. His hand settled on my hip despite my concern they were going to continue around to the front. "You are not helping me relax…I get it you want me to go to bed, I'll go when I'm done."

"Hmm…" His noncommittal sound didn't make me feel any better about this. Hadn't he said he wasn't interested in me physically? Cause I looked like Ishtar. What happened to that? "You think you'll be able to sleep with all these stresses circling in your head? It'd be easy enough to make you forget them, or everything, other than me of course."

"You're not making this better." I hissed. "I am not interested Gilgamesh, not in whatever this is."

"Such protests for someone that longs to surrender. You speak the words loudly, yet I let go of you a moment ago." He remarked, the delight in his voice permeating his tone. I wasn't totally sure I disagreed with him, there wasn't pressure from his arms holding me in place anymore. His fingers were tracing circles on my legs and hips. It was difficult to argue with him on this, but I jumped away when his teeth grazed my shoulder, his lips barely brushing the skin. I refused to admit that a part of me did want him. He glanced me over, and whatever insult I was about to toss died before it reached my mouth. I'd always known he was a lustful creature, but the avid hunger in his cherry gaze was paralyzing. Whatever he'd said before didn't matter, whatever protests he might have uttered as to wanting me prior to this moment meant nothing. I knew with that look that I was desired, that he'd devour me if I gave him the word…I didn't have it in me to back away when he leaned in close. I swallowed nervously, unsure of what to do…

"I have a prediction, Kagome." He traced my cheek and drew a thumb over my lips. I was too hypnotized to back away this time, he used my name so little and at present I doubted if anyone could ever make those syllables so sensual again. I wasn't sure I had the willpower to refuse a god. He leaned closer as if to kiss me and I managed to turn my head to the side, offering him nothing but cheek. I wasn't going to do this now. He laughed at my last little rejection and I heard his voice near my ear a moment later. "One of these days, you'll beg me to tie you up with those straight laces of yours."

I would have liked to tell him he was wrong, that I was not interested…but he was already fading away from view. I took a deep breath, having not even realized I'd been holding it. What was wrong with me? I should have turned him down flat. Instead I was very much more stressed than I'd been before he came in. How could he make me second guess most morals I had? We needed to get this done soon, I wasn't sure I'd weather much more of his teasing without giving in.

 **End Chapter**

Sorry for shortness, better than nothing : ). I do what I can. My time is sadly limited. I haven't forgotten my fics though. Hang in there.

 _-Aura_

To my reviewers:

Thanks for the reviews as always, I'm always happy to see them in my mailbox when I check it.

Tsukikageshi – Good, good. You should be ; ).

FrancesMinus – Thank you, Gil is difficult to write for sure. I always have to second guess if his commentary is douchey enough XD.

osterreicher97 – I in general tend to set aside my AU's and do what I think works within the plots in my head. I'm glad it worked out so well in this case and that you like it. I hadn't really thought about it working out so neatly with the other Fate characters but I'll take the happy neat little bow all the same : )


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